CDC shooter believed COVID vaccine made him suicidal, his father tells police : NPR

[ad_1] <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5172x3445+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fe7%2F95%2Fe0fee4004929aea2460ad62c3569%2Fap25221007194481.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5172x3445+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fe7%2F95%2Fe0fee4004929aea2460ad62c3569%2Fap25221007194481.jpg" class="img" alt="Police officers block Clifton Road near Emory Hospital as they respond to a shooting near the campuses of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Emory University on Friday." fetchpriority="high"/> Law enforcement officials block Clifton Street close to Emory Hospital as they reply to a capturing close to the campuses of the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention and Emory College on Friday. Hyosub Shin/Atlanta Journal-Structure disguise caption

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Hyosub Shin/Atlanta Journal-Structure ATLANTA — A Georgia man who opened hearth on the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention headquarters, capturing dozens of rounds into the sprawling advanced and killing a police officer, had blamed the COVID-19 vaccine for making him depressed and suicidal, a legislation enforcement official instructed The Related Press on Saturday.

The 30-year-old shooter additionally tried to get into the CDC's headquarters in Atlanta however was stopped by guards earlier than driving to a pharmacy throughout the road and opening hearth late Friday afternoon, the official mentioned. He was armed with 5 weapons, together with a minimum of one lengthy gun, the official mentioned, talking on situation of anonymity as a result of they weren't approved to publicly focus on the investigation.

DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose was mortally wounded whereas responding.

Well being and Human Providers Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., whose skepticism of vaccines has been a cornerstone of his profession, voiced assist for CDC staff Saturday. However some laid-off CDC staff mentioned Kennedy shares duty for the violence and will resign.

CDC shooter recognized The Georgia Bureau of Investigation named Patrick Joseph White because the shooter, however authorities have not mentioned whether or not he was killed by police or killed himself.

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4032x3024+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0a%2F39%2F203048a2411dbc697c2f70444749%2Fap25221554051020.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4032x3024+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0a%2F39%2F203048a2411dbc697c2f70444749%2Fap25221554051020.jpg" class="img" alt="A bullet hole is visible in the door of a CVS pharmacy on Saturday, August 9, 2025, near the shooting at the headquarters of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta." loading="lazy"/> A bullet gap is seen within the door of a CVS pharmacy on Saturday, August 9, 2025, close to the capturing on the headquarters of the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention in Atlanta. Jeff Amy/AP disguise caption

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Jeff Amy/AP The suspect's father contacted police and recognized his son because the attainable shooter, the legislation enforcement official instructed AP. The daddy mentioned his son had been upset over the dying of the son's canine, and he had additionally turn into fixated on the COVID-19 vaccine, in line with the official. The household lives in Kennesaw, Georgia, an Atlanta suburb about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northwest of CDC headquarters.

A voicemail left at a telephone quantity listed publicly for White's household wasn't returned Saturday.

Staff on the CDC are shaken The capturing left gaping bullet holes in home windows throughout the CDC campus, the place 1000's work on important illness analysis. Staff huddled below lockdown for hours whereas investigators gathered proof. Employees was inspired to earn a living from home Monday or take go away.

At the very least 4 CDC buildings had been hit, Director Susan Monarez mentioned on X.

Sam Atkins, who lives in Stone Mountain, mentioned exterior the CVS pharmacy on Saturday that gun violence looks like "a reality of life" now. "That is an on a regular basis factor that occurs right here in Georgia."

Kennedy reaches out to workers "We're deeply saddened by the tragic capturing at CDC's Atlanta campus that took the lifetime of officer David Rose," Kennedy mentioned Saturday. "We all know how shaken our public well being colleagues really feel as we speak. Nobody ought to face violence whereas working to guard the well being of others."

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3936x2632+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc4%2F96%2F4db394224c4a8ee158c4f595d5fd%2Fap25220848148201.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3936x2632+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc4%2F96%2F4db394224c4a8ee158c4f595d5fd%2Fap25220848148201.jpg" class="img" alt="An armed Police officer prepares near the scene of shooting at the Emory University in Atlanta on Friday, Aug. 8, 2025." loading="lazy"/> An armed Police officer prepares close to the scene of capturing on the Emory College in Atlanta on Friday, Aug. 8, 2025. Mike Stewart/AP disguise caption

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Mike Stewart/AP Some rejected the expressions of solidarity Kennedy made in a "Expensive colleagues" e mail, and known as for his resignation.

"Kennedy is instantly accountable for the villainization of CDC's workforce by means of his steady lies about science and vaccine security, which have fueled a local weather of hostility and distrust," mentioned Fired However Combating, a bunch of laid-off staff opposing adjustments to the CDC by President Donald Trump's administration.

Underneath Kennedy, CDC has laid off practically 2,000 staff. Trump proposes slicing the company's funds in half subsequent 12 months, transferring some CDC features into a brand new Administration for a Wholesome America. Kennedy has a historical past as a frontrunner within the anti-vaccine motion, however he reached new prominence by spreading mistrust of COVID-19 vaccines. For instance, he known as it "felony medical malpractice" to provide COVID-19 vaccines to kids.

Kennedy parlayed that spotlight right into a presidential bid and endorsement of Trump, resulting in Trump naming him secretary. Kennedy continues to undercut the scientific consensus for vaccines, ordering $500 million lower from vaccine improvement funding on Tuesday.

Opponents say officers' rhetoric contributed Fired However Combating additionally known as for the resignation of Russell Vought, noting a video recorded earlier than Trump appointed him Workplace of Administration and Finances director with orders to dismantle a lot of the federal authorities.

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5184x3456+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F68%2F78%2Fb14ecbb4445b8a8a6b0c67268667%2Fap25218061971702.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5184x3456+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F68%2F78%2Fb14ecbb4445b8a8a6b0c67268667%2Fap25218061971702.jpg" class="img" alt="U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attends a news conference, Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025, in Anchorage, Alaska." loading="lazy"/> U.S. Well being Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attends a information convention, Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025, in Anchorage, Alaska. Mark Thiessen/AP disguise caption

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Mark Thiessen/AP "We wish the bureaucrats to be traumatically affected," Vought mentioned within the video, obtained by ProPublica and the analysis group Documented. "Once they get up within the morning, we wish them to not wish to go to work, as a result of they're more and more considered because the villains."

A request for remark from Vought's company wasn't returned.

This capturing was the "bodily embodiment of the narrative that has taken over, attacking science, and attacking our federal staff," mentioned Sarah Boim, a former CDC communications staffer who was fired this 12 months throughout a wave of terminations.

A mistrust of COVID-19 vaccines A neighbor of White instructed The Atlanta Journal-Structure that White spoke together with her a number of occasions about his mistrust of COVID-19 vaccines.

Nancy Hoalst, who lives on the identical road as White's household, mentioned he appeared like a "good man" whereas doing yard work and strolling canines for neighbors, however he would convey up vaccines even in unrelated conversations.

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2400x1600+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F05%2F17%2Fe2375c2941098a27686a07d94868%2Fap25221007195208.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2400x1600+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F05%2F17%2Fe2375c2941098a27686a07d94868%2Fap25221007195208.jpg" class="img" alt="Pedestrians comfort each other after a shooting near the campuses of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Emory University, Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, in Atlanta." loading="lazy"/> Pedestrians consolation one another after a capturing close to the campuses of the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention and Emory College, Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, in Atlanta. Jenni Girtman/Atlanta Journal-Structure/AP disguise caption

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Jenni Girtman/Atlanta Journal-Structure/AP "He was very unsettled, and he very deeply believed that vaccines damage him and had been hurting different individuals." Hoalst instructed the Atlanta newspaper. "He emphatically believed that."

However Hoalst mentioned she by no means believed White can be violent: "I had no concept he thought he would take it out on the CDC."

Slain officer leaves spouse and three youngsters Rose, 33, was a former Marine who served in Afghanistan, graduated from the police academy in March and "shortly earned the respect of his colleagues for his dedication, braveness and professionalism," DeKalb County mentioned.

"This night, there's a spouse with no husband. There are three kids, one unborn, with no father," DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson mentioned.

Rising safety considerations Senior CDC management instructed some workers Saturday that they'd do a full safety evaluation following the capturing, in line with a convention name recording obtained by the AP.

One staffer mentioned individuals felt like "sitting geese" Friday. One other requested whether or not directors had spoken with Kennedy and if they might converse to "the misinformation, the disinformation" that "precipitated this difficulty."

It's clear CDC leaders concern staff may proceed to be focused. In a Saturday e mail obtained by the AP, CDC's safety workplace requested staff to scrape previous CDC parking decals off their automobiles. The workplace mentioned decals have not been required for a while.

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CDC shooter believed COVID vaccine made him suicidal, his father tells police : NPR

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