Atlanta CDC Campus Reels from Violent Attack: Extensive Damage Revealed, Recovery Underway as Secretary Visits

ATLANTA – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta is grappling with extensive damage following a violent attack last Friday, which saw a gunman fire over 180 shots into the campus, shattering approximately 150 windows. The assault, which tragically claimed the life of a police officer, has left the facility facing weeks, possibly months, of repair and cleanup.

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. toured the ravaged campus on Monday, observing the widespread destruction, including bullet-pierced, blast-resistant windows and shards of glass scattered across multiple buildings. Accompanied by HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill and CDC Director Susan Monarez, Secretary Kennedy also met with the DeKalb County Police chief and privately with the widow of the fallen officer, David Rose.

The 30-year-old assailant, Patrick Joseph White, who reportedly blamed COVID-19 vaccines for his mental health struggles, was stopped by CDC security before dying, though authorities have not specified the cause of his death. While no CDC personnel were injured in the campus assault, the incident has prompted the agency to advise employees to work from home this week.

Secretary Kennedy, a former leader in the anti-vaccine movement, issued a statement Saturday emphasizing that “no one should face violence while working to protect the health of others.” The attack has reignited concerns among current and former health officials about the potential for inflammatory rhetoric surrounding vaccines and public health to incite violence, with some expressing worry about the long-term impact on recruiting young scientists to government service.

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