Full Breakdown
One-Year After the CDC Shooting: Memorials, Reflections, and Ongoing Challenges
8/9/2026, 3:02:00 AM
The August 2025 Attack on the CDC Campus
In August 2025 a gunman opened fire from a CVS Pharmacy across Clifton Road from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta. Investigators recovered more than 500 shell casings and determined that nearly 200 rounds struck six CDC buildings, shattering windows but injuring no agency staff. DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose, 33, was among the first officers on the scene and was fatally wounded. He died at Emory University Hospital. The shooter, 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after police secured the area. Documents found at White’s Kennesaw home expressed anger toward COVID-19 vaccines, which he claimed had caused his depression and suicidal thoughts.
Memorials and Honors in August 2026
A year later, federal, university, and local officials gathered to commemorate Officer Rose. A permanent plaque describing his service was installed at the CDC entrance, and a portion of the campus roadway was renamed Officer David Rose Parkway. The ceremony was attended by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., DeKalb County Police Chief Greg Padrick, Rose’s mother Deveane Atkinson Burnett, and members of the Emory University community. An online vigil and a non-denominational service at Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church were also held.
Impact on the Agency’s Workforce and Operations
The shooting occurred amid broader turmoil at the CDC. A 2026 Statnews commentary noted that the agency’s workforce had shrunk by roughly 25 % due to firings, retirements, and resignations after the attack and related political pressures. The same source reported a proposed presidential budget for fiscal 2027 calling for a 40 % reduction in CDC funding, pending congressional approval. Public confidence in the agency’s vaccine guidance fell to 47 % in 2026, the lowest level since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Official Statements & Responses
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attended the memorial and honored Rose’s “courage and resilience,” emphasizing the need to support CDC employees who continue to work under threat. DeKalb County Police Chief Greg Padrick described Rose as embodying “honor, service and partnership,” noting the solidarity between law-enforcement and public-health staff during the crisis. Rose’s mother expressed grief and gratitude, saying she “misses her son every day” but is humbled by the lasting memorials.
Data & Statistics
- Rounds fired: nearly 200 rounds hit six CDC buildings (Georgia Bureau of Investigation).
- Shell casings recovered: more than 500.
- Staff turnover: approximately 25 % of CDC personnel left the agency in the months after the shooting (Statnews).
- Proposed budget cut: 40 % reduction proposed for fiscal 2027 (Statnews).
- Public trust: 47 % of Americans reported a “great deal” or “fair amount” of trust in CDC vaccine guidance in 2026 (Statnews).
Verbatim Quotes
- “It's been a year, and, you know, I wasn't here on that day, but I was here the next day. And I looked across the street and I saw a window in an office that I used to occupy, had a bullet hole in it,” — Susan Monarez, CDC director
- “Officer Rose embodied honor, service and partnership and the partnership was reflective in that room and that service this morning.” — Greg Padrick, county police chief
