The Wisconsin pharmacist arrested last week after allegedly removing vials of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine from cold storage is a conspiracy theorist who believes the vaccine could harm people, police say.
Pharmacist Steven Brandenburg, 46, is accused of intentionally leaving out 57 vials, prompting hospital officials to sequester most of the doses because they thought the vaccine was rendered ineffective.
In a probable cause statement obtained by CNN affiliate WTMJ, authorities say Brandenburg admitted to investigators he believed in conspiracy theories and believed “the COVID-19 vaccine was not safe for people and could harm them and change their DNA.”
Brandenburg removed a storage container with 57 vaccine vials at the Aurora Medical Center in Grafton on December 24 and 25, according to police. Eric Sutherland said in his statement that Brandenburg “recklessly endangered the lives of those people” by possibly compromising the efficacy of the vaccine.
Prosecutors from the Ozaukee County District Attorney’s Office charged Brandenburg on Monday with two felonies, second-degree recklessly endangering safety and criminal damage to property, according to a police news release.
Patrick Brock told CNN that Brandenburg was released on bond that requires him to pay $10,000 if he fails to show up for court.
According to police, the hospital pharmacist allegedly provided public safety officials at Aurora Medical Center in Grafton with a written statement last week saying he intentionally removed the vials, knowing that if they were not properly stored, the doses would be ineffective.
