McBath offers condolences in CDC shooting

Rep Lucy McBath on CDC shooting

Congresswoman Lucy McBath offered her condolences to the fallen officer's family during an appearance in Cobb County today. The Democrat joined Republican Congressman Barry Loudermilk at the Coca-Cola Roxy for an event hosted by the Cobb Chamber of Commerce.

COBB COUNTY, Ga. - U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath offered condolences to the family of a DeKalb County police officer killed Friday as new details emerged about the attack on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta.

What we know:

McBath, a Democrat known for advocating gun control following the 2012 shooting death of her son, spoke during a Cobb Chamber of Commerce event at the Coca-Cola Roxy that also featured Republican Rep. Barry Loudermilk. She did not take questions from reporters. Loudermilk did not address the shooting.

What they're saying:

"I want to acknowledge Friday’s tragic shooting and the painful loss of a DeKalb County police officer. My heart is always with the families and the loved ones that lose someone to gun violence each and every occurrence. So my heart is definitely with the loved one's of Officer David Rose and I am praying for a swift recovery for his colleague who is also injured. As law enforcement continues to investigate the circumstances that led to this senseless act of violence," McBath said.

The backstory:

Authorities and internal CDC communications described extensive damage from the attack. The gunman fired more than 180 shots into the campus and broke about 150 windows, with bullets piercing "blast-resistant" panes and scattering glass into rooms across multiple buildings. No one at the CDC was injured. Agency personnel said it may take weeks or months to replace windows and clean up the damage.

A law enforcement official said the 30-year-old shooter, identified as Patrick Joseph White, blamed the COVID-19 vaccine for making him depressed and suicidal. The official said White was stopped by CDC security guards before driving to a nearby pharmacy and opening fire. He later died. Authorities have not said whether he was killed by police or died by suicide.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. toured the CDC campus on Monday, accompanied by HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill and CDC Director Susan Monarez. Kennedy later met with DeKalb County police and privately with the widow of Officer David Rose.

Monarez said at least four CDC buildings were hit in the attack. The extent of the damage became clearer during a weekend leadership meeting, according to two CDC employees who were briefed and spoke on condition of anonymity, as well as an internal memo viewed by a reporter.

What's next:

CDC employees are taking steps to be less visible, including forgoing their public health service uniforms at work, said Yolanda Jacobs, president of Local 2883 of the American Federation of Government Employees. She recalled when CDC staff were comfortable fielding health questions from neighbors. "Now it’s at the point we’re afraid to have those types of conversations with anybody, because we don’t know who they are and we don’t know what rhetoric they’ve ingested," she said.