The gunman who opened fire on the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta Friday and killed a police officer has been identified as Patrick Joseph White.
The 30-year-old form Kennesaw, Georgia, was formally identified by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation as the shooter in the incident.
A statement added: ‘There is extensive evidence to collect due to the complex scene. Numerous interviews are being conducted. This investigation will take an extended period of time.
Law enforcement had said on Friday that the gunman died in the shooting after a firefight with cops, it is unclear if he was shot by officers or committed suicide.
During the shooting 33-year-old police officer David Rose, a father-of-two, died after gunfire broke out at the CDC Buildings near Emory University.
The shooter was armed with a long gun, and authorities recovered three other firearms at the scene, a law enforcement source told the Associated Press.
Pictured: Police officers set up a blockade of a road near the CDC, where several buildings took fire on Friday
Rose was suffering from critical injuries when he was located at the scene as gunfire erupted from the CVS located across from the CDC headquarters.
The a father-of-two was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries, authorities said.
CNN reported that the shooter’s family members spoke to law enforcement and told them that he blamed his recent illness on the Covid-19 vaccine.
The shooting ended at the CVS, but bullets from the shooter’s gun hit at least four buildings that are part of the CDC’s headquarters.
A photo shared to social media showed at least two bullet holes in two separate windows.
One CDC employee told CNN that he saw a man approach the steps in front of the building, pull out a rifle and open fire.
Law enforcement officials said the shooter had four different weapons — two hand guns, one rifle and one shotgun — and was wearing what looked to be a surgical mask.
Dekalb County police officer David Rose, 33, was shot and killed while responding to the shooting at the Centers for Disease Control
Pictured: Bullet holes are seen in Building 24 at the CDC, which is just down the road from Emory University
The CDC ultimately wasn’t breached. At around 10pm ET, the CDC gave their employees the all clear order via text message.
In a statement, Dekalb County said that Rose was a former Marine who served in Afghanistan.
Police said he graduated from the police academy in March and ‘quickly earned the respect of his colleagues for his dedication, courage and professionalism’.
‘This evening, there is a wife without a husband. There are three children, one unborn, without a father,’ DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson said.
