CDC director says misinformation 'led to deadly consequences' in Atlanta campus shooting
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez sent a note to the company's more than 10,000 employees Tuesday afternoon, directly blaming the role of the promotion of misinformation in the deadly shooting at the CDC.
The note in part reads, " the dangers of misinformation and its promulgation has now led to deadly consequences. I will work to restore trust in public health to those who have lost it- through science, evidence, and clarity of purpose. I will need your help."
After a busy morning of technical challenges during a truncated town hall meeting and in the shadows of a worried and disgruntled CDC workforce, the letter -- obtained by ABC News -- was sent as a summary of Monarez's talking points and an apology for the technical problems.
The statement appears to go further than remarks made during the agency-wide meeting meeting, where she said, "Public health should never be under attack," and later continued, "We know that misinformation can be dangerous."
The gunman who attacked the CDC's campus on Friday may have fired several hundred rounds, law enforcement said on Tuesday.
During a news conference, Chris Hosey, director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), said almost 500 shell casings were recovered. Of those rounds, about 200 struck facilities on the CDC campus.
It's unclear how many came from the gunman and how many came from law enforcement exchanging gunfire.
Hosey said that the suspect, 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White, had a long gun that belonged to his father during the attack.
RELATED: Man fired 180 shots, breaking 150 windows, in CDC attack
Hosey added that White's parents are "fully cooperating" with the investigation, which is ongoing.
White had no criminal history, Hosey said. White had "recently verbalized thoughts of suicide" and law enforcement had been contacted several weeks prior to the shooting, according to Hosey.
Hosey also confirmed that a search warrant of White's home had found "written documentation" expressing his discontent with the COVID-19 vaccine. GBI is examining the documentation, which is being shared with the FBI Atlanta field office.
There were no direct threats made in the written document but allegedly White wanted to make the public aware of his discontent with and distrust of the vaccine, Hosey said.
Law enforcement sources and sources close to the suspect previously told ABC News that White had blamed the COVID-19 vaccine for making him sick and depressed.
People who knew the 30-year-old suspected shooter told ABC News they had heard White express similar angry and conspiracy-minded sentiments.
One neighbor, who asked not to be named, told ABC News that White had sat on her porch and complained that he lost weight, developed problems swallowing and experienced gastrointestinal issues after he got the COVID-19 vaccine.
Serious health events after receiving the COVID-19 vaccines are rare, according to the CDC .
White died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound . A total of five firearms were recovered from the scene, according to Hosey.
Electronic devices seized during the investigation are currently undergoing digital forensic examination and GBI agents are continuing to conduct numerous interviews.
DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose was fatally shot after responding to the reported gunfire. Hosey said preliminary information from the from the DeKalb County Medical Examiner's Office indicates Rose's injuries were caused by one of the gunman's weapons.
"He served with honor, courage and unwavering dedication," Hosey said during the news conference. "His sacrifice will never be forgotten and his commitment to protecting others is a profound testament to the very best of the law enforcement profession."
Monarez said that she knows the campus will feel "unsettling, in many ways, for some time to come."
"We will make sure that you have the resources, the protection, the support you need to keep doing the work that you do. Protecting health and saving lives. Please take care of yourself. Check-in on your colleagues," Monarez said in an audio recording of the meeting obtained by ABC News. "And know this, we will face the challenge together. United in purpose, grounded in truth, and committed to protecting one another."
CDC employees told ABC News that the meeting was cut short by technical difficulties, lasting just about 10 minutes instead of the planned hour.
Editor's note: The story has been updated to clarify that some of the 500 rounds may not have been fired by the gunman, according to law enforcement.
