The father of a man accused of fatally shooting a police officer at the CDC headquarters in Atlanta on Friday has come forward with details about his son, Patrick Joseph White, who is 30 years old. According to law enforcement, White’s father informed police that his son was upset over the death of his dog and had been fixated on the Covid-19 vaccine.
Officials reported that White had discussed his distrust of the vaccine with neighbors, highlighting a possible motive for his actions. Nancy Horst, a neighbor, mentioned that he seemed very troubled and believed the vaccine was harmful to himself and others. She noted that he had always considered himself a “good guy” and wouldn’t have envisioned him resorting to violence.
On the day of the incident, White was armed with multiple firearms, including at least one long gun, and fired into several buildings at the CDC. Susan Monares, the CDC director, shared that the bullets struck at least four facilities, resulting in visible damage to the site where essential disease research occurs.
In addition to the shooting at the CDC, White is believed to be responsible for the earlier death of Officer David Rose from the DeKalb County Police Department. Rose had sustained serious injuries and was rushed to Emory University Hospital, where he later passed away. He was a recent graduate of the Police Academy and is survived by his wife, who is pregnant, and two children.
As the chaos continued, responding officers heard additional gunfire coming from a nearby CVS pharmacy. Upon entering, they found White inside with a gunshot wound of his own. The source of this wound remains unclear—it might have been inflicted by police or could be self-inflicted.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation described the crime scene as “complicated” and indicated that the investigation would be lengthy. There is still much left to uncover regarding this tragic event.
