CDC Shooter Fueled by Vaccine Lies, Demand Removal of RFK Jr.

The recent shooting at CDC headquarters in Atlanta marks a chilling moment in our nation’s history. A man, driven by anti-vaccine beliefs and fueled by misinformation, opened fire across 150 windows of the agency. He killed Officer David Rose, who is survived by a pregnant wife and two young children. The violence was not random. It stemmed from a toxic climate of rhetoric aimed at undermining public health, with misinformation acting as a fuse ready to ignite tragedy Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as Health and Human Services Secretary, has repeatedly questioned vaccine safety and dismantled long-standing scientific guidelines. Experts and agency staff pinpoint this kind of rhetoric as dangerous. The union that represents CDC employees called on leaders to clearly and unequivocally denounce vaccine disinformation that places scientists at risk, warning that misinformation has made public health workers unsafe. We cannot accept public health office as a theater for misinformation. We need leadership that protects, not undermines, the trust that science demands. Kennedy has weakened vaccine advisory boards, halted critical research, and eroded credibility where clarity was needed most. The silence and delay in his response did nothing to reassure shaken staff and sent a message that caution and honesty no longer matter. Congress must act. Demand Secretary Kennedy’s removal! Pass emergency resolutions reaffirming the sanctity of public health institutions. Invest in mental health support for public health workers and strengthen protections against disinformation. In a democracy, facts must lead. Fear and lies must not prevail.