ATLANTA — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta is conducting a comprehensive security assessment following the Aug. 8 shooting that damaged the campus and killed a DeKalb County officer.
CDC Director Dr. Susan Monarez said that her top priority is ensuring the security of the institution, which she described as both a premier public health institution and a family.
The shooting resulted in significant damage. Channel 2’s Linda Stouffer visited the eighth floor of a building on the CDC campus where the damage from bullets was visible. Temporary boards now cover the bullet holes at the guard shack, which was shot 15 times.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
“It was such a tragic situation and one that was going to take some time to recover from,” Monarez told Stouffer.
Stouffer asked what would be different if someone attempted violence against the facility today.
“So what we’re doing is a full security assessment. So we had a number of measures already in place that were serving as a deterrent and that gunman stayed further away than perhaps he could have otherwise gotten," Monarez said.
The assessment includes determining whether the blast-resistant glass should be replaced with bulletproof alternatives.
Stouffer asked if they have heard from the White House and if they have what they need from the administration to secure the CDC workers.
“We are getting all the resources that we need. We have had such a level of support from the administration. They want to make sure that not only are we getting what we need for the physical repairs, but also the emotional and the mental health repairs as well,” Monarez said.
Stouffer asked what Monarez would say to those worried about coming back to work.
“So my priority is on the health and wellness and safety of our staff, and that will include their physical security as well as their mental health and mental wellness,” Monarez responded.
Concerns about safety extend beyond physical security, as some CDC employees have expressed unease about the political climate. Hundreds of workers have signed a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., urging him to affirm the scientific integrity of the CDC.
RELATED STORIES:
- ‘Very high likelihood’ CDC shooting suspect tried getting onto campus days earlier
- CDC gives inside look of damage from shooting
- Behind the scenes at GBI gun lab testing CDC shooting evidence
- At least 600 CDC employees are getting final termination notices, union says
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2025 Cox Media Group
