DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A shooting at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention left one police officer dead and prompted a visit from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy.
“My supervisor said, ‘Get down, it’s gunshots, get down’, so we just took cover and just waited,” recalled Tyler Rosser, a contractor at the CDC, describing the terrifying moments during the shooting.
Patrick White, 30, opened fire on the CDC, resulting in the death of DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose.
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The attack, which the CDC described as targeted and related to COVID, caused panic among employees and led to significant damage to the facility.
Elizabeth Soda, a CDC employee, expressed her concerns to Channel 2’s Candace McCowan, saying, “It’s scary to think about going back into those buildings.”
The shooting took place as many CDC employees were leaving work, with some picking up their children.
Rosser, who witnessed the aftermath, described the scene: “It looks like a movie scene. It looks like something from out of a movie, shattered windows, doors messed up.”
Kennedy’s visit to the CDC was met with mixed reactions. While he surveyed the damage and met with local officials, including DeKalb County’s police chief, some employees were displeased with his presence.
Soda voiced her frustration, saying, “I have a lot of anger at RFK. I do believe that as Secretary of Health he is spreading misinformation.”
The Department of Health and Human Services issued a statement after Kennedy’s tour, saying “HHS continues to support CDC personnel and their families. ... Additional safety and security measures are being put in place ahead of their return.”
CDC workers have been advised to telework for the remainder of the week, with some exceptions. An email from the CDC’s Office of Safety, Security, and Asset Management instructed employees to remove CDC vehicle decals.
And as they pay their respects to Rose, some with tears rolling down their cheeks, they know what happened Friday is seared in their memory.
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