The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said on Tuesday that the Georgia man who opened fire at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters died by suicide in the incident last week.
Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said at a Tuesday news conference that the shooter, who authorities identified on Saturday as 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White, “died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.”
“Evidence in this event indicates that the shooter had recently verbalized thoughts of suicide, which even led to law enforcement being contacted several weeks prior to the incident,” Hosey said, flanked by a crew of other local officials.
Hosey added that White fired nearly 200 rounds of ammunition that impacted six different buildings at the headquarters, and that authorities recovered five guns from the crime scene. He added that “over 500 shell casings” were recovered from the crime scene.
The GIB director also said that authorities recovered “written documentation that expressed the shooter’s discontent with the COVID-19 vaccinations” from White’s home.
A neighbor of White’s previously told NBC News that White expressed anti-vaccine sentiments to her on multiple occasions. It was also previously reported that White blamed the COVID-19 vaccine for making him depressed and suicidal.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network, previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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