Authorities have identified the man who opened fire at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday, killing a police officer and causing widespread panic at the agency’s Atlanta campus. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation named the shooter as 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White of Kennesaw, Georgia.
Officer David Rose of the DeKalb County Police Department was fatally wounded while responding to the incident. No other people were struck, though police said four individuals sought treatment for anxiety symptoms. Many CDC employees sheltered in place as bullets hit multiple buildings.
Investigators said White fired from across the street, leaving bullet holes in windows and scattering shell casings outside a nearby CVS pharmacy. At least four CDC buildings were struck, Director Susan Monarez said on X, with images showing bullet-pocked windows in areas where thousands of staff conduct critical disease research.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic shooting at CDC’s Atlanta campus that took the life of officer David Rose,” Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said Saturday, adding that “no one should face violence while working to protect the health of others.”
Hundreds of staff members were unable to leave for hours on Friday as witnesses were interviewed and evidence collected. Employees were told to work from home or take leave on Monday. The incident comes amid budget cuts, layoffs, and political disputes over the CDC’s mission.
Former CDC communications staffer Sarah Boim, who was laid off earlier this year, called the shooting “the physical embodiment of the narrative that has taken over, attacking science, and attacking our federal workers.” She described seeing images of the damage as “devastating.”
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said Friday night that the suspect was a “known person” without elaborating on a motive. Neighbor Nancy Hoalst told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that White often expressed distrust of COVID-19 vaccines, believing they harmed him and others, though she never thought he would commit violence.
White died at the scene, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said, noting it was unclear whether his death was from police gunfire or self-inflicted. He was armed with a long gun, and three other firearms were recovered.
The CVS near the shooting site remained closed Saturday, with visible bullet damage to its doors. A bouquet was placed outside the building. Rose, 33, was a Marine veteran who served in Afghanistan, graduated from the police academy in March, and was praised for his dedication and professionalism.
“This evening, there is a wife without a husband. There are three children, one unborn, without a father,” DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson said.
Local resident Sam Atkins described gun violence as “a fact of life” in Georgia. Monarez commended the police response and canceled in-person work for Monday, acknowledging the “fear, anger and worry” the attack brought to the agency.
