Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. visited the CDC’s Roybal Campus in Atlanta today, touring the grounds with agency security and meeting with CDC Director Susan Monarez and Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill in the aftermath of Friday’s gunfire attack that left DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose dead, according to an HHS statement and local reporting.
During the visit, Kennedy surveyed damage across multiple buildings, including shattered windows and a struck guard booth, and later met with DeKalb County Police Chief Greg Padrick before paying a private visit to Officer Rose’s widow to convey condolences and recognize the officer’s service and sacrifice.
The shooting prompted lockdowns across the area and intensified scrutiny of security at the nation’s top public health agency; authorities identified the suspected gunman as Patrick Joseph White, who was later found dead at a nearby CVS, while the investigation into motive continues.
As Secretary Kennedy stated in his X post, “We are deeply saddened by the tragic shooting at CDC’s Atlanta campus that took the life of officer David Rose. We stand with his wife and three children and the entire CDC family.”
HHS said most CDC personnel assigned to the Roybal Campus are teleworking this week as additional safety measures are implemented prior to a broader return, with leadership emphasizing continued support for CDC staff and families in the wake of the tragedy.
