President Donald Trump’s Health Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., also described political violence as “wrong” and said his job is to protect employees.

Though law enforcement has not officially announced a motive behind the attack, for many in public health, the shooting seemed to vindicate their long-running fears that the backlash to their work during the coronavirus pandemic could turn deadly.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has visited the CDC headquarters in Atlanta where a police officer was killed in a shooting that is believed to have targeted the national public health agency.