An active shooter opened fire at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters last week, killing a police officer and later dying by suicide. No civilians were injured in the attack.
The shooter, identified as Patrick Joseph White, reportedly fired nearly 200 rounds of ammunition, targeting six buildings, NBC reports. Authorities recovered five guns and over 500 shell casings from the facility.
Nearly 150 windows were shattered during the attack, Fox 5 Atlanta reports. Some bullets struck windows with “blast-resistant” glass, sending shards 60 feet into rooms. With at least four buildings damaged, the CDC said that it could take several months to clean up broken glass and replace windows. On Monday, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr toured the CDC campus and was alerted of broken windows across multiple buildings, including the main guard booth.
It is believed that White had previously expressed discontent with COVID-19 vaccinations, telling a neighbor that it had made him depressed and suicidal, NBC reports. Following the shooting, CDC officials told employees that White was “very disturbed,” Fox 5 Atlanta reports.
There has long been misconceptions surrounding vaccines, prompting the CDC’s union, American Federation of Government Employees Local 2883 to call for stronger protections for employees. Suggestions of heavily armed guards, bulletproof glass, better alert systems and evacuation plans for disabled and vulnerable employees.
HHS has said that additional safety measures will be put into place by next week. CDC employees have been told to work from home for the foreseeable future.
Mackenna Moralez is the associate editor of the facilities market and the host of the Facilities in Focus podcast.
