CDC Shooter Motivated by Anti-Vaccine Beliefs; Union Warns Misinformation Endangered Staff

In a tragic incident that has sent shockwaves through Atlanta’s public health community, a man opened fire on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters late Friday, killing a police officer before dying at the scene.

Patrick Joseph White, a 30-year-old Georgia resident, has been identified as the shooter who targeted the CDC campus. According to law enforcement officials, White first attempted to enter the CDC headquarters but was stopped by security guards. He then drove to a pharmacy across the street and began shooting at the CDC buildings.

White was armed with five guns, including at least one long gun, when he carried out the attack that left visible bullet marks on windows across multiple buildings on the sprawling campus. At least four CDC buildings were hit during the shooting, according to CDC Director Susan Monarez.

DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose, 33, was fatally wounded while responding to the scene. Rose, a former Marine who had served in Afghanistan, had only recently graduated from the police academy in March, making his death particularly devastating to the local law enforcement community.

The shooter was later found on the second floor of a building opposite the CDC campus. Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum confirmed White’s death at the scene but noted that investigators have not yet determined whether his death resulted from police gunfire or was self-inflicted.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigations has described the crime scene as “complex,” warning that the investigation will require “an extended period of time” to complete due to the multiple locations involved and the scale of the attack.

According to a law enforcement official speaking anonymously, White’s father contacted police and identified his son as the possible shooter. The father reported that White had been upset over the death of his dog and had developed a fixation on COVID-19 vaccines, which he blamed for causing depression and suicidal thoughts.

This account aligns with statements from White’s neighbor, Nancy Hoalst, who told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that White had expressed deep distrust of COVID-19 vaccines during multiple conversations. “He was very unsettled, and he very deeply believed that vaccines hurt him and were hurting other people,” Hoalst said, adding that she never anticipated he would turn violent or “take it out on the CDC.”

The American Federation of Government Employees, Local 2883, which represents CDC workers, has stated that the attack “compounds months of mistreatment, neglect, and vilification that CDC staff have endured.” The union is calling for federal officials to take a stronger stance against vaccine misinformation, which they believe is putting scientists and public health workers at risk.

“Their leadership is critical in reinforcing public trust and ensuring that accurate, science-based information prevails,” the union stated in a news release. The group also demanded improved security measures at all CDC facilities and urged management not to require staff to return to work prematurely after such a traumatic event.

“Staff should not be required to work next to bullet holes,” the union emphasized. “Forcing a return under these conditions risks re-traumatizing staff by exposing them to the reminders of the horrific shooting they endured.”

The shooting has highlighted the increasingly volatile environment surrounding public health institutions. A group of laid-off CDC employees called “Fired But Fighting” has pointed to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s statements about vaccines as contributing to a climate of hostility toward CDC workers.

Kennedy addressed CDC staff on Saturday, stating that “no one should face violence while working to protect the health of others.” The statement comes amid growing concerns about threats against public health officials, particularly those involved in vaccine research and policy.

During the attack, thousands of CDC employees, including more than 90 young children at the CDC’s Clifton School, were placed on lockdown. The incident has renewed discussions about security protocols at vital public health institutions that perform critical disease research and pandemic preparedness work.