A 30-year-old Georgia man, Patrick Joseph White, unleashed a barrage of over 180 gunshots on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta on Friday, destroying about 150 “blast-resistant” windows and leaving glass strewn across multiple buildings, according to internal agency reports. The violent assault claimed the life of a police officer, with repairs expected to take weeks or months, CDC officials stated.
White, who attributed his depression and suicidal tendencies to COVID-19 vaccines, was halted by CDC security before fleeing to a nearby pharmacy and firing again, a law enforcement official disclosed anonymously. Authorities have not clarified whether White was killed by police or died by suicide.
No CDC employees were harmed, but the attack damaged at least four buildings, with Building 21—home to director Susan Monarez’s office—hit hardest, per agency memos and sources briefed on a weekend leadership discussion. Monarez acknowledged the incident on social media, and staff were instructed to work from home this week.
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US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., known for his anti-vaccine stance, visited Monarez in Atlanta on Monday but avoided media comments. In a statement, he denounced the violence, affirming support for CDC workers and stating, “No one should face harm while serving public health.”
The incident sparked fears about its long-term effects. Retired CDC official Stephan Monroe worried it could discourage young scientists from pursuing government careers, labeling it a “generational setback.” A tribute for the fallen officer, David Rose, was erected near the campus.
Former CDC employee Tim Young pointed to years of vaccine misinformation as a trigger for such violence, while ex-US Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams, speaking on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” warned that false vaccine safety claims have serious consequences, stressing, “Words matter, and people listen.”
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