August 10, 2025

A shocking shooting took place late Friday afternoon at the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. Patrick Joseph White, a 30-year-old man armed with five guns, fired dozens of rounds into the sprawling CDC complex. The rampage tragically killed DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose, who was swiftly responding to the attack. According to law enforcement sources, White blamed the COVID-19 vaccine for making him feel depressed and suicidal. He first tried to enter the CDC building but was stopped by guards. Then, he drove to a pharmacy across the street and opened fire there as well. The incident rattled thousands of CDC employees, with bullet holes found in at least four CDC buildings. White's father called police to identify him as the possible shooter and said his son had become deeply troubled after the death of his dog and developed a strong fixation against the COVID-19 vaccine. Neighbors described White as a good man who often talked about his belief that vaccines were harmful, though no one expected him to turn violent. The family lives in Kennesaw, a suburb about 40 kilometers from the CDC. The slain officer, David Rose, was a 33-year-old former Marine who served in Afghanistan and had recently graduated from the police academy. DeKalb County officials expressed heartbreak, stating, "This evening, there is a wife without a husband. There are three children, one unborn, without a father." The shooting sparked wider political debate. Robert F Kennedy Jr, the Health and Human Services Secretary known for his vaccine skepticism, expressed sympathy for CDC staff. He said, "We are deeply saddened by the tragic shooting at CDC's Atlanta campus that took the life of officer David Rose. No one should face violence while working to protect the health of others." However, some former CDC employees sharply criticized Kennedy, blaming his anti-vaccine stance for creating a hostile environment around the agency. The group Fired But Fighting, made up of laid-off CDC workers, said, "Kennedy is directly responsible for the villainisation of CDC's workforce through his continuous lies about science and vaccine safety, which have fuelled a climate of hostility and mistrust." The controversy around the CDC cuts deeper, with nearly 2,000 employees laid off under Kennedy’s tenure and a proposal by the Trump administration to halve the agency’s budget. Kennedy's public statements against COVID-19 vaccines, including calling vaccinations for children "criminal medical malpractice," have fueled fierce debate. Security at the CDC is now a big worry. After the shooting, staff were locked down for hours and encouraged to work from home. Leaders promised a full security review. Employees shared feelings of being "sitting ducks," puzzled about how to deal with misinformation that might have contributed to this violence. As the nation mourns the loss of Officer Rose and contemplates the reasons behind this dark event, the saga shines a spotlight on vaccine distrust and political tensions affecting public health workers. It remains a stark reminder of how deep divisions and misinformation can spark deadly consequences.

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Tags: Cdc shooting, Covid-19 vaccine, Patrick joseph white, Georgia shooting, David rose, Robert f. kennedy jr.,