Anti-Vaccine Gunman Fired 200 Rounds At CDC, Agency Employees Fearful Of Returning To Office
The gunman who opened fire at the CDC’s Atlanta headquarters Friday wrote about his “discontent” with the COVID-19 vaccine before dying of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the scene, Chris Hosey of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Tuesday.
Thirty-year-old Patrick Joseph White, who killed responding officer David Rose and sprayed nearly 200 rounds into six CDC buildings, reportedly blamed the COVID-19 vaccine for making him depressed and suicidal.
President Trump has been quiet about the attack, and while Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. condemned it, he has also reiterated his criticism of the agency’s handling of COVID. Some inside the CDC blame that type of rhetoric for inspiring the attack. They say they fear going back to work, citing a pattern of such behavior.
INSIDE THE ATTACK
Investigators recovered more than 500 shell casings and five firearms from the scene.Authorities say White took the guns from his father’s safe.
His family is reportedly cooperating with law enforcement.
On Tuesday, newly confirmed CDC Director Susan Monarez spoke to staff about the shooting and rebuilding Americans’ trust in the agency. Staff voiced frustration about a lack of safety measures. Here’s what a Mo News community member told us:
DOUBLING DOWN
In an interview Monday, Kennedy called the CDC a “shining star” and said staff “should not be the targets of this kind of violence from anybody.” At the same time, he doubled down on his criticism of the agency’s handling of COVID, accusing it of eroding public trust by promoting “noble lies” to encourage vaccination.
Critics, including former Trump Surgeon General Jerome Adams, described Kennedy’s remarks as “tepid” and warned they risk reinforcing distrust in public health.
Before joining the Trump administration, Kennedy called the coronavirus vaccine the “deadliest vaccine ever made” and promised on the campaign trail to “clean up the cesspool of corruption at CDC and force the public health agencies to come clean about Covid vaccines."
BY THE NUMBERS
In a recent poll, Health policy group KFF found that less than half of the U.S. public say they have confidence in the FDA and CDC to carry out their core responsibilities as of May 2025.