Man Opened Fire Near Emory University Campus in Atlanta, Killing an Officer — Then Was Found Dead By Charna Flam

An active shooter and a law enforcement officer are dead after an attack on Friday, Aug. 8, near Emory University and the headquarters for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said during a press conference that the department received 911 calls about an active shooter around 4:50 p.m. at 1600 Clifton Road, in front of the CDC campus. The shooter was wearing a surgical mask, ear protection, and had two handguns, one rifle and one shotgun, per CNN.

Once authorities responded to the scene, they discovered the critically injured DeKalb County officer, who died. He has been identified as David Rose, 33, and DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson said he leaves behind a pregnant wife and two children, per CNN.

“This evening, there is a wife without a husband. There are three children, one unborn, without a father. There is a mother and a father, as well as siblings who also share in this traumatic loss,” Cochran-Johnson said.

Officers heard gunfire inside a CVS at the intersection and went inside the building. Once they were inside, they located the suspect on the second floor of the building that housed the CVS. The suspect had been hit by gunfire. Schierbaum said it was unclear if the wounds were self-inflicted or from police fire. The suspect died at the scene. The suspect’s identity has not been publicly revealed. 

Schierbaum said the CDC campus “did receive multiple rounds into their buildings,” but officials were not aware of any injuries that occurred there. There were 92 children at the CDC campus’ day care center, all of whom were unharmed, per ABC News.

Authorities said the situation was contained as of 6:30 p.m. local time, per Fox 5. FBI Atlanta and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation are investigating the incident.

Mayor Andre Dickens said the investigation is in the preliminary stages, and said “in short order you’ll know more about [the suspect] and some assumptions about his motives, but I can’t say right now.”

Dickens did not confirm whether or not the shooter was targeting the CDC. “He is a known person that may have some interests in certain things, that I can’t reiterate right know with any confidence until the investigation is fully conducted,” Dickens said.

Authorities theorize, after speaking to the suspected shooter’s family member, that the shooter was either sick or believed that he was sick and blamed the illness on the COVID-19 vaccine, per CNN.

No civilians were injured, Dickens said. However, four people took themselves to the hospital for stress and anxiety symptoms, per Schierbaum.

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One CDC employee told CNN that he believes he heard at least six or seven shots and called 911 from his car.

“It sounded like fireworks going off, one right after the other,” witness Brandy Giraldo said, per WCVB.

Witness Randy Gold was leaving a nearby hospital with his father, but said, “as soon as we turned towards the exit, people were running toward us, doctors, nurses, the valet parkers, everybody screaming that there’s an active shooter,” per CNN.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp issued a statement on X, noting the timing following the Thursday, Aug. 7, shooting that left five U.S. soldiers wounded in Fort Stewart, Ga.

“Twice this week, deranged criminals have targeted innocent Georgians,” Kemp said in a statement.  “Each time, brave first responders rushed toward the danger to subdue the shooter and save lives, reminding us of just how crucial they are.”

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