The suspect in the fatal shooting of a police officer near the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, has been identified as 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White.
White, a resident of Kennesaw, Georgia, is accused of killing DeKalb County Police Department Officer David Rose, 33, in an incident that occurred on Friday evening, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).
The shooting took place outside the CDC campus, with multiple buildings being hit by gunfire. A GBI image released showed numerous shell casings scattered on the ground.
At least four CDC buildings were struck by bullets, causing damage to the windows. The motive behind the shooting remains unknown.
When law enforcement officers responded to the scene, they found Officer Rose critically injured and heard additional shots coming from a nearby CVS pharmacy. Officer Rose was transported to Emory University Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
The suspect was located in the pharmacy with at least one gunshot wound. It is unclear whether the wound was self-inflicted or from police gunfire.
The shooting incident occurred near the Emory University campus, which includes a daycare facility with over 90 children, all of whom were unharmed.
The GBI is leading the investigation, with assistance from the FBI’s Atlanta office. Officer Rose, a former Marine who served in Afghanistan, is survived by his pregnant wife and two children.
Interim Police Chief Greg Padrick described Officer Rose as dedicated to serving the community. Governor Brian Kemp expressed condolences for the tragic loss of Officer Rose and extended support to his family and colleagues.
