CDC Atlanta shooting: Emory police officer confronted gunman, records show
Law enforcement vehicles are seen outside Emory Hospital following an active shooter incident on August 8, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)
ATLANTA - The officer who opened fire on a gunman during last week’s deadly attack at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s main campus in Atlanta has been identified.
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Emory police officer named
What we know:
According to records obtained from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Emory University Police Officer Mark Morgan fired at 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White during the Aug. 8 shooting on Clifton Road. White is accused of killing DeKalb County police officer David Rose before turning the gun on himself.
Morgan, 32, joined the Emory University Police Department in April 2024, according to the agency’s social media. His LinkedIn page indicates it is his first job in law enforcement.
CDC Atlanta shooting attack
The backstory:
Investigators said White fired nearly 200 rounds, striking six CDC buildings. No one inside the CDC or a nearby daycare was injured.
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According to the GBI, the guns used in the attack belonged to White’s father. White allegedly broke into a safe at his family’s home to obtain them.
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Officials said White believed the COVID-19 vaccine had made him depressed and suicidal.
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Waiting for Emory to respond
What we don't know:
Typically, most departments have a policy in place which would put an officer involved in a shooting on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. Emory Police have not said if that is the case with Officer Morgan.
GBI investigating
What's next:
The Emory University Police Department has asked the GBI to investigate the use of force by Officer Morgan, which is standard procedure in incidents of this nature.
The Source: The details in this article come from an open records request to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. More details are forthcoming from the GBI as the investigation progresses. Additional details come from the social media accounts for Emory Police and LinkedIn.