Crime
Exclusive: CDC shooter Patrick Joseph White pictured
The attack resulted in the death of DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose.
ATLANTA, GA — Authorities have identified the suspect in Friday’s deadly shooting outside Emory University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White of Kennesaw, Georgia.
The attack resulted in the death of DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose and left another officer with non-life-threatening injuries, Channel2 NOW has learned.
The incident began around 4:50 p.m. near the CDC’s Roybal Campus and the Emory Point shopping area. Officer Rose, 33, was the first to respond and was fatally shot after confronting the suspect.
Witnesses reported that White fired toward multiple CDC buildings before entering a CVS store at Emory Point, where an exchange of gunfire occurred on the second floor. White was killed at the scene.
The cause of his death—whether by police gunfire or self-inflicted—remains unconfirmed.
Investigators have not determined a motive, though reports suggest White’s family believed he blamed the CDC and the COVID-19 vaccine for an illness.
Law enforcement agencies at the scene included Atlanta Police, DeKalb County Police, Emory Police, Georgia State Patrol, FBI, GBI, ATF, and several local police departments.
Emory University and CDC facilities were placed on lockdown, with children from the CDC daycare safely evacuated. No civilians were injured, though several CDC windows were damaged. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) described the site as a “complex crime scene” requiring extensive processing.
Officer Rose, a recent police academy graduate assigned to the North Central precinct, is survived by his wife, two children, and a third child on the way. “This officer responded to the call as he was trained to do,” Interim Chief Greg Padrick stated. “He was committed to serving the community.”
Neighbors described White as helpful, often assisting with yard work and walking dogs, but noted his strong anti-vaccine views and recent physical decline.
His LinkedIn profile lists attendance at Kennesaw State University and employment at Mellow Mushroom.
The CDC has directed staff to work remotely until a security assessment is completed.
Crime
Woman Fatally Struck by Semi-Truck on Birmingham Interstate Exit Ramp Identified as Shontea Baker
Authorities have identified the woman who was killed earlier this week after being struck by a semi-truck on an interstate exit ramp in Birmingham.
The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office confirmed on Friday that the victim was Shontea Renee Baker, 40, a Birmingham resident.
The fatal incident occurred at approximately 10:26 a.m. Wednesday on the Arkadelphia Road exit ramp from Interstate 59/20.
Emergency responders pronounced Baker deceased at the scene at 10:42 a.m.
At this time, no further details regarding the circumstances of the crash have been released.
The Birmingham Police Department is continuing to investigate the incident.