ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Health care workers and gun safety advocates are pushing for tougher gun laws in the wake of Friday’s shooting near the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Headquarters.

Officials said Patrick Joseph White shot six buildings at the CDC Headquarters on Friday, which locked down the campus and nearby Emory University for hours. White allegedly shot through 180 windows.

“It’s really treating gun violence as a public health crisis as the number one cause of death for children in our state, that is a health crisis,” said Heather Hallet, the founder and director of Georgia Majority for Gun Safety.

To advocates, gun safety is pushing for restored violence prevention funding, gun storage laws and red flag laws in Georgia. These are laws that allow courts to temporarily remove firearms from individuals deemed a danger to themselves or others.

Months before the shooting, Cobb County Police records show suicide calls from White’s home. Records state that White did get possession of a gun out of a locker at his home, but later returned the weapon back to his father.

“The more laws we actually have or the legislative priorities that we have to reduce firearm injury, will reduce these kinds of incidents from happening from in our state,” said Dr. Kiesha Fraser Doh, a pediatric emergency medicine physician in Atlanta.

“There are so many ways to tackle this problem and unfortunately right now in our legislature, there’s just not the will. We really need people to join us to reach out from both sides of the aisle. This is not a partisan issue,” said Hallett.

A mother and former CDC public health advisor who said she was fired this year by the Trump Administration, said she waited five hours before being allowed to pick up her child at their daycare on the CDC Campus.

“But this experience with gun violence didn’t end when we were united, when we were reunited,” she said. “All of these victims deserve to hear absolute condemnation from [Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.] and the President of the United States of this violence and this attack on the US government.”

Officials confirmed Tuesday that White died from a self-inflicted gun shot wound. DeKalb County police officer David Rose was also killed in the shooting.

“Just know that he was a hero he did what he had to do he did what his job told him to do and he did it precisely” said Ethan Burnett, Rose’s younger brother.

“David would give his all. He would protect you if you were red, yellow, white, black or green. He wouldn’t care about who you are. If you needed someone to help and protect you, he would stand in the line for you,” said Rose’s mother Deveane Atkinson-Burnett.

On Tuesday, the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners offered a round table of condolences, speaking out since the tragedy in their county.

“Officer Rose did more than most of us will ever do we are grateful for that,” said DeKalb County Commissioner Robert Patrick.

“My heart is heavy...Anytime we lose someone in the line of duty it touches us all,” said DeKalb County Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson.

“Unfortunately, he lost his life being a hero in Dekalb County,” said Commissioner Nicole Massiah.

“He exemplified what DeKalb County Police and all of our law enforcement community stands for. He did not shy away he ran to the trouble,” Commissioner Chakira Johnson said.

“Our deepest condolences to the family, the friends, all fellow officers and we are going to carry forward his legacy,” said Commissioner Ted Terry.

MORE COVERAGE:

Metro Atlanta doctor encourages public to follow science on vaccines after CDC shooting

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visits CDC in Atlanta after shooting

Community remembers DeKalb police officer killed in shooting near CDC, Emory University

911 call log shows at least 11 calls made to CDC shooting suspect’s home since 2024

Man fired 180 shots, breaking 150 windows, in CDC attack

CDC shooter had 5 guns, died by suicide, officials say

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