The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has announced the identity of the individual who fired shots at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as Patrick Joseph White, a 30-year-old resident of Kennesaw, Georgia.
The GBI statement says White died and Officer David Rose with the DeKalb County Police Department was shot and killed during the shooting Friday.
The assailant targeted the CDC headquarters from a location across the street, hitting windows around the extensive campus, fatally injuring an officer, and leaving numerous bullet casings scattered near a CVS pharmacy. This incident triggered a substantial response from law enforcement at one of the country’s leading public health organizations.
According to Director Susan Monarez, at least four buildings on the CDC site were struck, as mentioned in a public post. Photos shared by staff displayed several agency structures with windows damaged by bullets, highlighting the extensive harm caused at a complex where thousands of scientists and employees engage in vital disease research.
The CVS remained closed Saturday morning, with an apparent bullet hole in its front door. A lone bouquet was placed outside the building.
Without naming White Friday night, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens described him as a “known person that may have, some interest in certain things.”
The shooter was declared dead on the premises, as reported by Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum on Friday, who stated: “Currently, it is unclear whether the cause of death was due to police action or self-inflicted.”
Equipped with a long firearm, the assailant left behind three additional weapons at the location, as informed by a law enforcement official under anonymity, since they were not cleared to comment on the continuing investigation.
The gunman’s motive is still unknown this early in the investigation, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said Friday.
A voicemail left at a phone number listed for White in public records was not immediately returned Saturday morning.
Aged 33, Rose was a former Marine who served in Afghanistan and had recently completed police academy training in March. DeKalb County noted in a statement that he “rapidly gained the respect of his peers through his commitment, bravery, 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.
The GBI is leading the investigation, and said Saturday that unraveling what happened could take time.
“There is extensive evidence to collect due to the complex scene,” the agency said in its statement. “Numerous interviews are being conducted. This investigation will take an extended period of time.”
