Georgia man, who opened fire at US CDC headquarters, believed COVID vaccine made him suicidal

A police officer from DeKalb County, Officer David Rose was fatally wounded in the incident which shocked the CDC employees at the Atlanta office. US’ Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., whose criticism of the vaccines has been one of the prized possessions of his career, voiced support for the CDC employees on Saturday. However, some fired CDC employees blamed Kennedy for the violence and demanded that he resign.

We at @CDCgov are heartbroken by today’s attack on our Roybal Campus, which remains on lockdown as authorities investigate the shooting. A courageous local law enforcement officer gave his life, and another was injured, after a gunman opened fire on at least four CDC buildings.…

— CDC Director Susan Monarez (@CDCMonarez) August 9, 2025

The shooter was identified as Patrick Joseph White by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, though the authorities haven’t confirmed if the shooter was killed by the police or died from self-inflicted wounds post the shootout.

The suspect’s father identified his son and contacted police, the law enforcement official said. The official added that the gunman’s father said his son had been upset over the death of the son’s dog, and he had also become fixated on the COVID-19 vaccine, AP reported. The shooter’s family lives in Kennesaw, Georgia, an Atlanta suburb about 40 kilometers northwest of CDC headquarters.

Employees at the CDC headquarters huddled for a lockdown as soon as the shootout started and CDC director Susan Monarez said that at least four CDC buildings were hit. Staff have been urged to either work from home on Monday or take leave as the investigation in the shootout proceeds.