A police officer is dead and a nation is reeling after a gunman opened fire on the headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta on Friday, in an attack that authorities believe was motivated by anti-vaccine conspiracy theories. The tragic incident, which saw bullets rip through the windows of the nation’s leading public health institution, ended with the death of both the gunman and a DeKalb County police officer who responded to the scene.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) identified the deceased officer as David Rose, a 33-year-old former Marine and father of three, who was shot and killed while heroically responding to the active shooter report. The gunman was identified as Patrick Joseph White, a 30-year-old from suburban Atlanta who was found dead in a building across the street from the CDC campus.
The attack, which sent shockwaves through the thousands of employees who work on vital disease research, has been linked to a dangerous and growing narrative against public health institutions. According to law enforcement sources and White’s neighbors, he held a deep-seated belief that he had been made sick by the COVID-19 vaccine and was targeting the CDC as a result. “He very deeply believed that vaccines hurt him and were hurting other people,” a neighbor told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The assault, which began just before 5 p.m., prompted a massive law enforcement response from multiple agencies. White, who was armed with a long gun and reportedly wearing a surgical mask, fired dozens of rounds at the CDC’s Roybal Campus, striking at least four buildings and causing panic. As bullets strafed the campus, employees sheltered in place, with many sending harrowing photos of bullet-pocked windows in their offices. Miraculously, no other civilians were injured.
The tragedy comes at a time of heightened political tension and declining public trust in the U.S. health system, with public health officials warning of elevated threats of violence against their professionals. The CDC, in particular, has been a target of intense criticism and political attacks for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been a vocal critic of vaccines, issued a statement expressing his condolences to the family of Officer Rose, saying, “No one should face violence while working to protect the health of others.” However, some laid-off CDC employees and advocates called for his resignation, arguing that his rhetoric has fueled a climate of hostility and mistrust toward the agency’s work.
For now, the focus remains on the ongoing investigation and the grieving community. The death of Officer Rose, a man who was praised for his “dedication, courage, and professionalism,” is a stark and painful reminder of the real-world consequences of a public discourse that has increasingly villainized science and public health.