COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A DeKalb County police officer lost his life on Friday afternoon, responding to a call of shots fired at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
The gunman, identified as Patrick Joseph White, 30, of Cobb County, was found dead from a gunshot wound on the second floor of a CVS pharmacy across the street from the CDC. It remains unclear at the moment if he died from police gunfire or a self-inflicted shot.
Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell obtained the 911 call White’s father made to Cobb County 911 after the shooting happened. During the call, White’s father said he was worried his son might’ve been involved in the shooting.
“I’m very worried that, ugh, he might’ve been involved in this shooting today. I can’t get any information from anybody. I’ve called the DeKalb County 911 number three times and left detailed information. I just, I don’t know if he was involved. I need some help,” White’s father said.
RELATED STORIES:
- Emory, DeKalb County community reacts to shooting near CDC headquarters
- Emory University, CDC shooting: Here’s what we know about Officer David Rose
- Local 2883, CDC employee union, says shooting ‘compounds months of mistreatment’ of staff
- CDC staff to work remotely after shooting near Atlanta headquarters
- Memorial for fallen officer continues to grow outside CDC
Neighbors said they saw investigators late Friday night at the home White lived at with his parents.
Police said they were called to White’s home two weeks before the shooting happened on July 21 for a welfare check.
According to the incident report, White’s father told police he hadn’t seen or heard from his son since the night before.
White’s father told police his son left him what appeared to be a suicide note.
In April of this year, police responded to the same home in reference to a man who called the Veteran’s Crisis Line, stating that he had been drinking and taking his medication.
When officers arrived, they said they spoke with Patrick White, who stated he had no intention of harming himself and that he did not wish to go to the hospital.
Patrick White told police he called the crisis line just to talk to someone. Police said when they arrived at the home, Patrick White did not appear to be intoxicated or under the influence of a narcotic.
In 2024, police said they were called to White’s home after his father called them about a suicide attempt. According to the incident report, White’s father told police his son was suicidal and was trying to get to the guns in a locker in the home. Police said White did get a gun but gave it back to his father.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
White doesn’t have a criminal background in Cobb County. According to his LinkedIn and his Facebook page, he graduated from Harrison High School and Kennesaw State University. Cobb County School District officials declined to verify that information. KSU officials have not responded to the request as of Monday evening.
©2025 Cox Media Group
