Suspected gunman in CDC shooting had grievance toward Covid vaccine: Sources
The man suspected of opening fire on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's sprawling campus late Friday had blamed the COVID-19 vaccine for making him sick and depressed, according to information gathered by law enforcement and sources close to the suspect.The investigation remains ongoing, and officials caution that the information is preliminary at this time.Patrick White is believed to have struggled with his mental health, according to that information.As he grappled with those issues, sources said, White had become increasingly fixated on the COVID-19 vaccine as a source of his grievances.Bullet holes are seen in windows at the Centers For Disease Control (CDC) Global Headquarters following a shooting that left two dead, on August 9, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.
On August 8, a gunman opened fire near the headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control, killing a DeKalb County Police Department officer before being found dead by gunfire.(Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)Elijah Nouvelage/Getty ImagesSeveral Kennesaw residents who knew the 30-year-old suspected shooter told ABC News they had heard White express similar angry and conspiracy-minded sentiments.MORE: Officer killed, suspect identified in shooting near CDC headquarters, Emory University campusOne neighbor, who asked not to be named, said White would sit on her porch for long stretches, often complaining that after he got the COVID-19 shot, he had lost a lot of weight, developed problems swallowing and gastrointestinal issues.
And, the neighbor said he believed the media and government weren't covering it."He thought the vaccines were killing him and that people needed to know the truth," the neighbor said, adding that she didn't agree with him, but would listen.White's father declined to comment on his son when reached by ABC News.The Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which is leading the probe, declined to comment on a potential motive.Infectious disease experts maintain that mRNA vac...