The gunman who recently opened fire on the headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta left behind five firearms and more than 500 shell casings, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) said.
According to an Tuesday press release, the GBI recovered the five firearms and more than 500 shell casings from the crime scene. The GBI also indicated it seized electronic devices and recovered written documents after executing a search warrant of Patrick Joseph White’s home. The GBI Crime Lab is conducting forensic testing of the firearms and electronic devices. White, who had no previous criminal history, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was not hit by any shots fired by law enforcement officers, the same release indicates.
White allegedly fired more than 180 shots at the CDC headquarters, according to the Associated Press. CDC security guards stopped White from entering the campus. He then parked across the street and began to open fire from the sidewalk, striking “blast-resistant” windows across the campus, the outlet reported. White killed DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose as a result of the incident, officials stated.
While White has no criminal record, he was previously known to police, FOX 5 Atlanta reported. On Sept. 7, 2024, White’s father called 911 because his son was attempting to get his gun from a locker. White was successful but returned the gun to his father. The call was listed as a suicide threat, according to FOX 5 Atlanta, citing police records.
On April 25, 2025, White purportedly called a veterans’ crisis line and informed the worker he’d been drinking and taking medication. When officers were dispatched to his house, White said he had no intention of harming himself and just wanted to “talk to someone.” Then, on July 21, 2025, White’s father called 911 to report his son missing after receiving messages from him saying goodbye. White returned home later that day, his father informed police, FOX 5 Atlanta reported. (RELATED: Police ID CDC Shooter And Give Possible Motive)
White suffered from depression that he believed was linked to the COVID-19 vaccine, USA Today reported. A police report filed in connection with the Sept. 7, 2024, incident noted White said his health had been “bad” ever since receiving the vaccine, according to FOX 5 Atlanta.