Patrick Joseph White, a 30-year-old man from Georgia, was armed with five firearms, including at least one long gun, when he opened fire at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press on Saturday.
White first attempted to enter the CDC campus but was stopped by security guards. He then drove to a pharmacy across the street, where he opened fire, fatally shooting DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose. No civilians were injured in the incident.
White also died during the confrontation, though officials have not yet confirmed whether he was shot by police or died by suicide.
Suspect’s father and neighbor share concerns
According to the law enforcement official, White’s father told investigators his son had become emotionally distraught after the death of his dog and had also become fixated on the COVID-19 vaccine. The family lives in Kennesaw, a suburb roughly 40 kilometers northwest of the CDC campus.
His neighbor also reported troubling behavior in recent months.
Nancy Hoalst, a neighbor, described White as “unsettled” and deeply consumed by anti-vaccine conspiracy theories.
“He very deeply believed that vaccines had hurt him, and that they were hurting other people,” Hoalst told The New York Times.
Hoalst added that she “never thought he would take it out on other people.”
“It was a such a belief, it was almost like faith,” she told the outlet. “It was a tenet of who he was.”
Also Read: Patrick Joseph White: 5 key facts on Emoy University-CDC shooting suspect
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. responds
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr issued a statement following the incident, expressing condolences to Officer Rose’s family.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic shooting at CDC’s Atlanta campus that took the life of officer David Rose. We know how shaken our public health colleagues feel today. No one should face violence while working to protect the health of others,” he said.
(With inputs from AP)
