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On Friday, a man launched a violent attack on the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, firing over 180 rounds and shattering roughly 150 windows. The bullets penetrated even “blast-resistant” glass, sending shards into numerous rooms, according to internal agency reports.
The extensive damage — affecting multiple buildings — could take weeks or months to repair, CDC officials said.
Authorities identified the shooter as 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White, a Georgia resident who had blamed the COVID-19 vaccine for his depression and suicidal thoughts. He fatally shot a police officer during the incident but caused no injuries among CDC staff. Security guards stopped him before he drove to a nearby pharmacy and opened fire again. White later died, though officials have not confirmed whether he was killed by police or took his own life.
On Monday, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. toured the campus with CDC Director Susan Monarez and HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill, viewing the destruction, including bullet holes in the main guard booth. Kennedy also met with DeKalb County’s police chief and privately with the widow of Officer David Rose, who was killed in the attack.
An internal CDC memo and accounts from staff present at a weekend leadership meeting revealed that Building 21, where Monarez’s office is located, took the most bullet damage, though it’s unclear if her office was directly hit. Staff were instructed to work from home this week.
In a statement, Kennedy said that “no one should face violence while working to protect the health of others,” and pledged federal support for CDC employees. However, he did not address the media during his visit.
Unionized CDC workers are now demanding stronger security measures, including more heavily armed guards, bulletproof glass, improved alert systems, and better evacuation plans for vulnerable staff.
Former CDC official Stephan Monroe warned the attack could discourage young scientists from pursuing government work, calling it a potential “generational hit.”
Some CDC staff and public health leaders say the attack reflects years of anti-vaccine rhetoric. Retired CDC employee Tom Young said such misinformation has harmed mental health and fueled violence. Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams stressed that leaders must recognize the impact of their words, warning that false claims about vaccine safety can have “unintended consequences.”
As a result of safety concerns, CDC personnel are taking steps to remain less identifiable, such as avoiding the public health service uniform. Union president Yolanda Jacobs said workers once welcomed community questions about public health but now fear such interactions due to the unpredictability of people’s beliefs and attitudes.
