Georgia authorities identify suspected gunman in shooting near the Emory University campus. Here's what we know
No one else was reported injured.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation on Saturday identified the gunman as 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White, of Kennesaw, Georgia. His motive is still unknown this early in the investigation, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said on Friday.
The shooting began just before 5 p.m. directly across the main entrance to the CDC campus.
The attack, which unfolded near neighboring Emory University, prompted a massive law enforcement response to one of the nation's most prominent public health institutions. At least four CDC buildings were hit, Director Susan Monarez said in a post on X.
"Active shooter on Emory Atlanta Campus at Emory Point CVS. RUN, HIDE, FIGHT. Avoid the area. Continue shelter in place. Police on scene," said a statement from the university.
The shelter in place was lifted a little after 6:30 p.m.
When the shooting began, staff at a nearby restaurant hunkered down and said they heard a string of gunshots. "It sounded like fireworks going off, one right after the other," said Brandy Giraldo, the chief operating officer of The General Muir restaurant.
She then saw people running past her business. Two people paused to warn them of a shooter nearby.
The gunman was found on the second floor of a building across the street from the CDC campus, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said. He added that "we do not know at this time whether that was from officers or if it was self-inflicted."
The shooter was armed with a long gun, and authorities recovered three other firearms at the scene, a law enforcement official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation, told the AP.
Officer David Rose was killed in the gunfire, the DeKalb County Police Department said in a Facebook post.
"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.
Interim Chief Greg Padrick of the DeKalb County Police Department said Rose was "committed to serving the community."
FBI Director Kash Patel called Rose a hero who "made the ultimate sacrifice."
"Pray for the family, friends, and colleagues of this hero who acted quickly to defend others and made the ultimate sacrifice," Patel said in a post on X.
No CDC employees or visitors were harmed, Monarez said.
"As we navigate the aftermath of this event, we want to express our eternal gratitude to law enforcement personnel who were injured and share our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the Dekalb County Police Officer who was killed in the line of duty," she wrote in an email sent to employees.
The presidents of Emory University on Saturday thanked law enforcement officials for their swift response that "enabled a well-coordinated, multi-agency team to confront a threat and keep our community safe."
"In putting themselves in harm's way to keep each of us safe, they put our community first with incredible bravery and selflessness," Leah Ward Sears, Interim President-Elect and Gregory L. Fenves, President and Chancellor-Elect, said in an email sent to Emory students and staff.
Gov. Brian Kemp praised the efforts of first responders.
"Twice this week, deranged criminals have targeted innocent Georgians," Kemp said, referring to the shooting at Fort Stewart as well as the CDC campus. "Each time, brave first responders rushed toward the danger to subdue the shooter and save lives, reminding us of just how crucial they are."
Law enforcement is still piecing together what led to the shooting and expects the investigation will go on for an extended period of time, the GBI said Saturday.
Monarez said Monday would be a remote workday so the agency could conduct a security assessment before people return to their offices. In her X post, she called the shooting an "attack on our Roybal Campus," referring to the office complex.
The CDC and Emory's main campus are surrounded by affluent wooded neighborhoods in northeast Atlanta. All three institutions line up along Clifton Road. The area is hard to access, and notoriously traffic-choked, but on Friday, few cars were in evidence as a warning siren blared.
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You're reading the Prompt 2025 newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox. Welcome to the martial state! On Monday, President Donald Trump announced that he would nationalize the D.C. police and deploy the D.C. National Guard in the city, an extraordinary escalation in his attempt to confront what he calls the 'complete and total lawlessness' inside the nation's capital. I'm joined by my colleagues Megan McArdle and Jason Willick to discuss this moment in D.C. history. — Robert Gebelhoff, editorial writer 💬 💬 💬 Robert Gebelhoff Trump probably has the legal power to do this (pulling from authority laid out in the Home Rule Act of 1973, which gave D.C. limited autonomy). So, let's talk about whether he should be doing this. Is it justified, or just political theater? Megan McArdle Crime in D.C. is falling, but it is still outrageously high. That has enormous costs not just to victims, but to the people who have to take precautions against it, whether installing an alarm system, as we did last year, putting bars on their windows, or avoiding certain areas. It also takes a toll on the city's economy, driving tourists away and encouraging suburbanites to get out of the city after dark. So, I'm very sympathetic to Trump's desire to get things under control. That said, I am skeptical that deploying the National Guard is a solution, and the way Jeanine Pirro was talking about the problem — charge more teenagers as adults! Lock 'em up and throw away the key! — recaps the failed anti-crime politics of the 1990s. Jason Willick I'd also note that some people might dispute his legal authority here. The statute requires that he make a finding that an emergency exists. If crime is at its usual levels (even if too high), one could argue that it is not an emergency. I wouldn't be surprised if D.C. sues. But I think Trump will prevail, because the way the law is written hinges on his discretion. Story continues below advertisement Advertisement Rob That's a fair point, Jason. And I'm similarly skeptical about whether this will work, Megan. I do think having military members with guns walking around deters crime, but this is no long-term solution. Megan Yes, we have better ways to address crime than giving 14-year-olds adult sentences. We need to punish more consistently, not more harshly, which means more police on the streets and more state capacity to deliver quick justice. Jason I'd zoom out a bit. Police power is the most fundamental aspect of state sovereignty. Trump is making a display of taking control over D.C. I don't think he's thinking so deeply about the actual mechanics of crime control. In his proclamations implementing this, he basically says the federal government must have sovereignty over D.C. to function. That attacks the idea of 'home rule' implemented here in 1973. Rob Is he right? Should the federal government have more sovereignty over the city? Certainly many Republicans in Congress agree with that. Jason And Democrats think the opposite. D.C. statehood, of course, would prevent the president from taking control of the local police force. Trump is a genius polarizer. My guess is that this will cause Democrats to redouble their push for D.C. statehood — a national issue because it would change the power balance in the Senate. My view has always been that the best solution for D.C.'s quasi-self-government problem is to give the parts not directly around federal buildings to Maryland. Megan My preference would be for D.C.'s government to treat public order as the primary public good they provide. They've gotten better in recent years, but the levels of disorder and crime are still entirely unacceptable. If you don't have clean, safe streets, you don't have anything else: Your schools won't work, your economy won't work, your citizens will flee. Story continues below advertisement Advertisement Rob On that point, city officials have been pretty indignant about Trump's moves. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson noted that crime in the city is at 30-year lows, and has been falling in the past few years. Are they wrong to be defensive? Jason It's a fair logical point, but it misses how Trump simply wants control. And that current conditions might be unpopular even if they are not an emergency. Rob That's certainly true. People don't care too much about the actual crime statistics. They see crime and disorder and don't feel safe. City officials can't wish that away. This is an issue that Democrats have struggled with for a long time. What should be their response strategy here? Megan In 2024, D.C. had 187 homicides. That is, thankfully, lower than 274 in 2023. But it is still extremely high! New York City, with more than 10 times D.C.'s population, had 382 during the same period. People rightfully resist this. Democrats should come up with a serious crime-control strategy that doesn't involve the National Guard and also doesn't involve promising, falsely, that crime will fall on its own after we've solved every other social problem. National Democrats have moved in this direction, as have mayors in blue cities facing voter revolts. Rob Does that mean Pirro is right? Democratic officials should go harder on offenders, including teens? Megan Criminals are what psychologists call 'hyperbolic discounters,' which is a fancy way of saying they don't think much about the future and just grab what they can in the present. Amping the possible punishment up from five years to 10 years doesn't get you much. What criminals do respond to is a very high likelihood of getting caught and punished right now. That's especially true of kids. D.C. is not giving them certainty of punishment, both because we don't clear enough crimes and because we tend to go light on kids who do get arrested. Jason Crime control is usually a political decision by states and localities. D.C. is more liberal than most places, so it decided on this more lenient approach to crime. Trump wants to overturn that decision because he doesn't like the balance D.C. has struck. He thinks the federal government's interest in an orderly city should take precedence over D.C.'s democratically expressed preferences. Rob One last question: How should Mayor Muriel E. Bowser proceed? This is a fraught moment for her politically and for the city's autonomy. There are a lot of residents who want her to resist Trump, but I doubt that's the wise path forward. Megan Ask for more money for more cops, zero tolerance for homeless encampments and public drug use, and get the D.C. Council to revise probation and diversion terms to require home monitoring and home confinement. Jason She has avoided the resistance tack thus far. But look where it got her! She will presumably need to oppose the commandeering of D.C.'s police while appearing to take crime seriously. That will take some finesse. And it will depend a lot on how well-executed Trump's takeover is.
