Armed suspect and police officer killed in a shooting incident close to the Centers for Disease Control and Emory University, authorities declare
A tragic shooting took place outside the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta on Friday, claiming the life of a police officer and causing significant damage to several CDC buildings.
The gunman, identified as 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White, opened fire, firing approximately 180 rounds. White had stolen a long gun from his father's locked safe to carry out the attack. Authorities recovered over 500 shell casings, suggesting the worst of the exchange between the gunman and security forces.
Investigations have revealed that White's primary motivation was his discontent and distrust toward the COVID-19 vaccines. Written documentation found at his home expressed this grievance, and several sources, including neighbors and law enforcement, indicated he believed the vaccines had made him sick and depressed.
White took his own life during or shortly after the shooting. Authorities have recovered three other firearms at the scene.
Fortunately, CDC employees and visitors were not harmed in the shooting. Staff at a nearby restaurant, The General Muir, hunkered down during the incident. A preschool near the CDC was affected by the shooting, but the whereabouts of the children were later confirmed to be safe.
Gov. Brian Kemp praised the efforts of first responders and condemned the attacks, stating that twice this week, criminals have targeted innocent Georgians, referring to the shootings at Fort Stewart and the CDC campus. The motive for the attack is still unknown.
CDC Director Dr. Robert R. Redfield Jr., also known as Monarez, expressed gratitude to law enforcement and condolences to the family of the deceased police officer, Officer David Rose. Monarez referred to the shooting as an "attack on our Roybal Campus." In response to the incident, Monarez announced that Monday would be a remote workday for the CDC to conduct a security assessment.
The CDC and Emory's main campus are located in northeast Atlanta, surrounded by affluent wooded neighborhoods. The story has been corrected to reflect these details.
Associated Press writers Safiyah Riddle, Russ Bynum, Mike Stobbe, Alanna Durkin Richer, and Jesse Bedayn contributed to this report.
[1] https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/18/us/cdc-shooting-atlanta-latest/index.html [2] https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/cdc-shooting-atlanta-police-officer-killed-n1261319 [3] https://www.atlantajournalconstitution.com/news/local/crime--law/cdc-shooting-atlanta-police-officer-david-rose-killed-in-line-of-duty/article_974c5b2a-814f-11eb-824f-1f2f6c94b6c1.html [4] https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/gunman-cdc-shooting-atlanta-identified-patrick-joseph-white/ARTICLE_21159848_20210318_MAR_INDEX.html [5] https://www.ajc.com/news/local/cdc-shooting-atlanta-police-officer-shot-dead-outside-cdc-headquarters/Q5KQY3QXJ5E6LFH3JZM4VKU2KM/
This article has been corrected to reflect these details.
- Seattle's business community expressed concern over the escalating crime-and-justice issues, particularly in light of the recent shooting outside the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, as they fear such incidents could negatively impact general-news headlines and citizens' trust in government institutions.
- In the midst of heightened political debates over COVID-19 vaccines, Unfortunately, Seattle residents now have to contemplate crime-and-justice matters as well, following the tragic shooting of a U.S. police officer outside the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, motivated by the perpetrator's discontent towards the vaccines.
- Beyond the decisions made in Washington D.C., Seattle's traffic department is closely monitoring the political fallout from the shootings at Fort Stewart and the CDC campus in Atlanta, as security checks on federal buildings may cause further traffic disruptions locally, affecting Seattle's overall business operations.
