Patrick Joseph White, a 30-year-old suspect in the deadly shooting at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta, had become fixated on the COVID-19 vaccine, according to his father. Law enforcement officials stated that White believed the vaccine caused him depression and suicidal thoughts. White’s father contacted police to identify his son as the possible shooter, noting that White had been upset over the death of his dog and had become increasingly focused on the vaccine. In unrelated conversations, White expressed his distrust of the vaccine to his neighbor, Nancy Hoalst, who described him as “a good guy” and never believed he would become violent. White was armed with at least five guns, including one long gun, during the attack.
The attack resulted in significant damage to the CDC campus, with bullets hitting multiple agency buildings, including those housing critical disease research. Director Susan Monarez of the CDC shared images of bullet-pocked windows in the affected buildings, underscoring the extent of the destruction. White is also suspected of killing DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose, 33, who was critically wounded during the incident. Rose, previously a Marine in Afghanistan and recently graduated from the police academy, is survived by his pregnant wife and two children. Officers found Rose mortally wounded at the scene and heard additional gunfire coming from a nearby CVS pharmacy. The GBI is investigating the complex crime scene, which is expected to take an extended period to fully understand and resolve.