ATLANTA – Two days after an active shooter situation took place near the CDC and Emory University, more is being learned about the suspected shooter and his motives.
What we know:
On Saturday, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation named the shooter as Joseph Patrick White, 30, of Kennesaw.
On Sunday, a law enforcement official told the Associated Press that White blamed the COVID-19 vaccine for making him depressed and suicidal.
The suspect’s father contacted police and identified his son as the possible shooter, the law enforcement official told the AP. The father said his son had been upset over the death of his dog and had also become fixated on the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the official.
Neighbors of White also told FOX 5 that he had spoken about COVID-19 and believed it was causing him health issues.
FOX 5 attempted to speak to the suspect’s family but was told they did not want to comment.
A voicemail left by the Associated Press at a phone number listed publicly for White’s family was not returned Saturday.
What we don’t know:
The AP did not release the name of the law enforcement official who spoke with them.
The backstory:
The shooting began just before 5 p.m. on Friday near the CDC and Emory University.
The CDC’s director said four buildings were hit by bullets.
DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose was killed while responding to the shooting.
White died inside a CVS just across from the CDC campus. It is unclear if he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound or was shot by police.
What’s next:
The GBI is investigating the shooting and released a statement that reads, in part, “There is extensive evidence to collect due to the complex scene. Numerous interviews are being conducted. This investigation will take an extended period of time.”
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