Kennedy visits Atlanta’s CDC

By Kim Jarrett
The Center Square

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visited Atlanta’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention days after a police officer died in a shooting there.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation identified 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White of Kennesaw as the person who opened fire on Clifton Road near Emory University and the CDC on Friday. White died during the incident, the agency said.

DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose was killed. He was a Marine veteran who joined the force in May 2024, according to the department.

“Officer Rose, a proud father of two with a third child on the way, was more than an officer,” the DeKalb County Police Department said on its Facebook page. “He was a devoted husband, loving father, and loyal friend. He served with honor and courage, protecting the very community he called home.”

Kennedy met with DeKalb County Police Chief Greg Padrick and Rose’s widow, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

“CDC security led Secretary Kennedy on a tour of the Roybal Campus, pointing out shattered windows across multiple buildings, including the main guard booth,” the department said in a statement.

The secretary offered his condolences to Rose’s family and support to CDC workers shortly after Friday’s shooting.

“We know how shaken our public health colleagues feel today. No one should face violence while working to protect the health of others,” Kennedy said on social media. “We are actively supporting CDC staff on the ground and across the agency. Public health workers show up every day with purpose – even in moments of grief and uncertainty.”

The shooter reportedly had concerns about vaccines.

Fired But Fighting, a group of former CDC employees, used the incident as a platform to ask for Kennedy’s resignation.

“Kennedy is directly responsible for the villainization of CDC’s workforce through his continuous lies about science and vaccine safety, which have fueled a climate of hostility and mistrust,” Fired But Fighting said on its website. “The ongoing destruction of our public health infrastructure has destroyed the systems meant to prevent tragedies like this from happening. Cuts to CDC’s injury prevention center, including programs to reduce gun violence and support mental health, have put our country at greater risk.”

HHS Communications Director, Andrew Nixon said in response to Fired But Fighting: “Secretary Kennedy has unequivocally condemned the horrific attack and remains fully committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of CDC employees. He extends his deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Officer David Rose, who was tragically killed. Officer Rose’s sacrifice to protect the CDC on its darkest day will never be forgotten. This is a time to stand in solidarity with our public health workforce, not a moment for the media to exploit a tragedy for political gain.”

Kennedy’s office cancelled 22 contracts last week, including one to Moderna for bird flu vaccine development and one with Emory University.

“The data show that these vaccines fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu,” Kennedy said. “We’re shifting that funding toward safer, broader vaccine platforms that remain effective even as vaccines mutate.”