The man who fired more than 180 shots with a long gun at the headquarters of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention broke into a locked safe to get his father's weapons and wanted to send a message against COVID-19 vaccines,

The Georgia man accused of firing more than 500 shots at the CDC headquarters aimed to publicize his opposition to COVID-19 vaccines, authorities said Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Georgia Bureau of Investigations Director Chris Hosey said 500 shell casings were recovered from the scene, while its believed 200 rounds hit six buildings in the CDC complex. Five firearms were also recovered, he said.