Investigators believe the man disposed of the vaccine “knowing they will not be usable,” a police statement said.
According to police, the hospital pharmacist allegedly provided public safety officials at Aurora Medical Center in Grafton with a written statement stating that he had intentionally removed the vials, knowing that if not stored properly, the doses would be ineffective.
The man, an unidentified Grafton resident, could be charged with first-degree, recklessly endangering safety, adulteration of a prescription drug and criminal damage to property.
All three charges are criminal, according to the statement.
Police officials say the former employee is being held at Ozaukee County Jail.
Removing the ampoules from the refrigerator at the North Milwaukee Medical Center and the subsequent need to dispose of them on Saturday means more than 500 doses have been lost, said lawyer Aurora Health.
“This was a violation of our core values and the individual is no longer employed by us,” reads a press release from the hospital system on Wednesday.
Dose destruction was widely reported earlier this week, when the hospital said it believed Moderna Covid-19 vaccine bottles “were not replaced in the refrigerator after they were temporarily removed for access to other items” at the hospital. .
“We are more than disappointed that this individual’s actions will lead to a delay of more than 500 people receiving the vaccine,” the statement said.
“This issue is being actively investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Food and Drug Administration and the Grafton Police Department,” Grafton police said.
Neither the police nor the health system have publicly discussed a reason.
CNN sought comments from the FBI.
The hospital system did not say how long it took from the time the vials were removed from the refrigerator until they were discovered.
“Unfortunately, most of it had to be thrown away,” the hospital’s initial statement said.
CNN’s Dave Alsup and Andrea Diaz contributed to this report.