Atlanta authorities are investigating whether the man behind Friday’s deadly shooting outside the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention targeted the agency because he believed the COVID-19 vaccine had made him sick.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation identified the alleged gunman as 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White of Kennesaw, Georgia. While law enforcement has not confirmed a definitive motive, CNN and The New York Times report that investigators are exploring statements from White’s family suggesting he blamed the vaccine for his health problems. Sources say officers have received multiple theories and that the probe is still evolving.
The violence unfolded just before 5 p.m. in a busy shopping center near Emory University. White is accused of firing from inside a CVS toward the CDC campus, striking at least four buildings. Witnesses described hearing rapid bursts of gunfire and seeing people run for safety as campus alerts warned everyone to “run, hide, fight.”
Police found White dead on the second floor of the CVS. It’s still unclear whether he was killed by police or took his own life. Officers recovered a long gun along with three other firearms at the scene.
The attack claimed the life of DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose, a 33-year-old husband and father of two with a third child on the way. Officials described Rose as a dedicated public servant who put his life on the line to protect others.
CDC Director Susan Monarez expressed gratitude to law enforcement and condolences to Rose’s family, calling the incident an “attack” on the agency’s Roybal Campus. She announced that CDC employees will work remotely on Monday as security measures are reviewed.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp commended first responders, noting this was the second major shooting in the state in just one week. The investigation remains active, and officials caution that the vaccine theory is just one of several possible motives under review.
For now, the Atlanta community is left with more questions than answers about what drove a heavily armed man to open fire on one of the nation’s most prominent public health institutions.
