Wisconsin pharmacist Steven Brandenburg, who sabotaged Covid vaccine, believed he was harming people, police say

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.

A pharmacy technician found the vials in the early hours of Dec. 26 and returned them to a refrigerator, Aurora Health Care medical group president Dr Jeff Bahr told reporters on Thursday.

Hospital officials used 57 of the 570 doses to vaccinate people, he said.

Grafton Police Department Detective Sgt. Eric Sutherland said in his statement that Brandenburg “is recklessly putting the lives of these people in danger” by possibly compromising the effectiveness of the vaccine.

But during the virtual hearing on Monday, Ozaukee County District Attorney Adam Gerol said extensive testing needed to be done on doses not used for vaccinations to determine whether Brandenburg’s actions had any effect. actually reduces their effectiveness.

“We don’t know how long it will take,” said Gerol. “Fortunately, we have them as they – some or all of them – can be sent back to Moderna for testing.”

Prosecutors from the Ozaukee district attorney’s office on Monday charged Brandenburg with two crimes, recklessly endangering second degree security and criminal damage to property, according to a police press release. He was not asked to plead.

But if tests show the vaccines are or still were effective, prosecutors could instead lay a less serious charge of attempted criminal damage to property, Gerol said.

Ozaukee County Circuit Court Judge Paul Malloy has set the next court date for January 19.

Brandenburg did not speak except to say that he had no questions about the conditions of his bail: surrender his guns and have no contact with Aurora Health Care Medical Group or any of his former colleagues.

Grafton Police Sgt. Patrick Brock told CNN that Brandenburg had been released on bail, which required him to pay $ 10,000 if he did not appear in court.

CNN has contacted Brandenburg attorney Jason Baltz, who has issued a “no comment” on behalf of his client.

Police say the hospital pharmacist provided public safety officials at Aurora Medical Center in Grafton with a written statement last week saying he intentionally removed the vials, knowing if they weren’t properly stored, the doses would be ineffective.

But during an internal investigation, the former employee said the vaccines were withdrawn for some time on the night of December 24 and 25.

Bahr said 57 vaccinations that were administered on Saturday are either less effective or ineffective, according to new information provided by the pharmacist.

Hospital officials said last week that Brandenburg was no longer employed there.

The removal of the vials from refrigeration at the medical center just north of Milwaukee, and the subsequent need to throw away large numbers of them, means more than 500 doses have been lost, Advocate Aurora Health said.

Hospital officials are working with Moderna and the US Food and Drug Administration to develop a strategy for those who have received the 57 doses.

The hospital system did not report the time between when the vials were removed from the refrigerator and when they were discovered.