ATLANTA — According to CNN, leaders at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the shooting that shattered windows at several of the agency’s Atlanta offices Friday was “targeted and deliberate.”

Authorities say 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White opened fire from across the street just before 5 p.m., striking at least four CDC buildings with more than 40 bullets. The attack began outside a CVS store on Clifton Road, directly across from the CDC’s main entrance. White, armed with multiple firearms and wearing a surgical mask, was later found dead inside the store.

DeKalb County police officer David Rose, 33, responded to the scene and was fatally shot. Rose, a married father of two with another child on the way, would have marked his first anniversary on the force next month.

While investigators have not confirmed a motive, law enforcement sources told CNN that White may have targeted the CDC due to health concerns he linked to the Covid-19 vaccine. They said the suspect had been seeking mental health assistance in the weeks before the attack but had made no known threats.

The shooting left employees shaken, with some describing themselves as “sitting ducks” during a Saturday Zoom meeting with agency leaders. CDC Chief Medical Officer Dr. Debra Houry acknowledged the fear staff experienced, adding, “We’re mad this happened.”

The investigation remains ongoing.