THE suspect in the shooting near a CDC building and the Emory University Campus in Georgia has been named as Patrick Joseph White.

The 30-year-old from Kennesaw, Georgia, was named by officials who confirmed White died alongside hero police officer David Rose, 33, after gunfire broke out on Friday evening.

White opened fire outside the U.S. Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention headquarters around 4:50 pm spraying bullets across the university campus, authorities said.

Officer Rose from the DeKalb County Police Department was struck and died on scene while White was later found dead.

White was located on the second floor of a building that houses a CVS across the street from the CDC campus, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said.

“We do not know at this time whether that was from officers or if it was self-inflicted,” he said on Friday.

An update on Saturday from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said its agents are investigating an officer involved shooting as well as a shooting incident that occurred beforehand.

White was armed with a long gun and three other firearms were located at the scene, a law enforcement official said on the condition of anonymity.

At least four CDC buildings were hit and students on the university campus were instructed to run and hide.

According to CDC Director Susan Monarez, a second member of law enforcement was injured in the shooting but no harm came to staff or civilians in the area.

“We at @CDCgov are heartbroken by today’s attack on our Roybal Campus, which remains on lock down as authorities investigate the shooting,” she wrote on X on Saturday.

She praised Rose as a “courageous officer who gave his life” and said “another was injured, after a gunman opened fire on at least four CDC buildings.”

“DeKalb County police, CDC security, and Emory University responded immediately and decisively, helping to prevent further harm to our staff and community.”

Officer Rose served with the DeKalb County Police Department since September 2024 and had been running towards the active shooter scene when he was killed, authorities said.

They revealed the 33-year-old was a soon-to-be father to his third child before he was killed in the senseless attack.

“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.

“There is a mother and father as well as siblings who also share in this traumatic loss.”

“Officer Rose served DeKalb County with courage, integrity, and unwavering dedication,” the police department said in a statement posted online late Friday night.

“Even in the face of danger, he was diligent in his duty to protect our community.”

Officials have said the investigation is in its early stages as they comb the “complex crime scene” for evidence and try to establish a motive.

But on Friday, Chief Schierbaum noted that the gunman “fired at law enforcement and potentially the CDC.”

Before naming White, cops said their suspect was “a person known to have interest in some certain things”.

Thousands of CDC staff work at the headquarters and given its prominence, reports of gunfire soon sparked a major response from law enforcement.

At the time of the attack, there were 92 children at a day care center on the CDC campus – all of whom were unharmed.

Further updates are expected from the GBI when more details become available.

“Our top priority is the safety and well-being of everyone at CDC,” Monarez said.

“We are actively coordinating with federal, state, and local partners to fully investigate the shooter and this tragic crime.”