RFK Jr. Challenges CDC Data Access Amid Ongoing Worker Concerns
WHO:
The Guardian - Dr. Erica Schwartz was confirmed by the US Senate as the director of the CDC, making her the first Black woman to hold the position.
The Washington Post - Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visited the CDC.
CNN - Dr. Daniel Jernigan was the director of the CDC’s National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases.
CNN - DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose was killed during the shooting.
CNN - Dr. Erica Schwartz was confirmed as the new director of the CDC by the US Senate.
CNN - Emily Hilliard is the senior press secretary at the US Department of Health and Human Services.
CNN - Dr. Deb Houry was the agency’s chief medical officer and deputy director for program and science.
CNN - Dr. Demetre Daskalakis resigned as director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.
WHAT:
CNN - Kennedy plans to host a ceremony to honor Officer Rose and take questions from staff in a fireside chat with Dr. Jay Bhattacharya.
CNN - A group of former employees called Fired but Fighting has called on people to wear black to protest Kennedy's visit.
The Washington Post - Kennedy praised CDC scientists but urged skepticism of scientific authorities.
CNN - The shooter fired more than 500 rounds of ammunition from five guns at the CDC campus.
CNN - More than 180 bullets pierced, cracked, or shattered windows in six buildings on the CDC campus.
CNN - The CDC lost more than 3,300 staff, roughly one-quarter of its total workforce, over the past fiscal year.
CNN - Kennedy fired all 17 of the CDC’s vaccine advisers and replaced them with his own picks.
CNN - An email sent to staff indicated that window, façade, and door repairs were expected to be complete by the end of September.
CNN - A group of former employees called Fired but Fighting urged people to wear black to protest Kennedy's visit.
WHERE:
The Washington Post - The visit took place at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
CNN - The shooting occurred at the CDC campus in Atlanta.
WHEN:
The Washington Post - The visit by Kennedy occurred on the eve of the first anniversary of the shooting.
CNN - The shooting took place on August 8, 2025.
CNN - Kennedy is scheduled to host a ceremony to honor Officer Rose on Friday.
WHY:
CNN - Staffers expressed that Kennedy's failure to immediately condemn violence against federal employees contributed to their feelings of being targeted.
CNN - The shooter believed that the Covid-19 vaccines were harmful and blamed the CDC.
CNN - Staffers expressed feelings of being targeted and undermined by Kennedy and other federal officials.
HOW:
The Guardian - Schwartz stated that abortion surveillance is "absolutely a critical component" of what the CDC is currently doing.
CNN - The gunman used five guns to spray the CDC campus with ammunition.
CNN - Staff were held in lockdown for hours, relying on texts and news reports for updates due to malfunctioning alert systems.
(UPDATED August 8, 2026 16:26 UTC)
Dr. Erica Schwartz has been confirmed by the US Senate as the director of the CDC, making history as the first Black woman to hold this important position. In related news, Kennedy is set to host a ceremony honoring Officer Rose, while a group of former employees, known as Fired but Fighting, is urging people to wear black in protest of Kennedy's visit due to concerns over his previous remarks regarding violence against federal employees. Schwartz has emphasized that abortion surveillance is "absolutely a critical component" of the CDC's current work.
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(UPDATED August 8, 2026 05:39 UTC)
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visited the CDC in Atlanta, where he praised the agency's scientists but also urged skepticism toward scientific authorities, just before the first anniversary of a tragic shooting that occurred on August 8, 2025. That shooting involved a gunman who fired over 500 rounds from five weapons, resulting in significant damage to the CDC campus and the loss of more than 3,300 staff members over the past fiscal year. In response to the ongoing turmoil, Kennedy has replaced all 17 of the CDC’s vaccine advisers and is scheduled to host a ceremony on Friday to honor DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose, who was killed during the incident.