A cop was killed when an unhinged masked gunman who blamed the COVID-19 vaccine for an apparent illness unleashed a hail of bullets outside the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta on Friday, according to police and reports.
The deranged suspect, who died at the scene, opened fire on at least four CDC buildings and then stormed into a building across the street that houses a CVS at Georgia’s Emory University around 4:50 p.m., forcing students to shelter in place on the last day of the summer term, authorities said.
Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said the alleged shooter, described as a white man, sprayed multiple rounds at law enforcement and the health agency, which also houses a daycare caring for 92 children, all of whom were unharmed.
Witnesses said the shooter was armed with multiple guns – two handguns, a rifle, and a shotgun – and was wearing what appeared to be a surgical mask when he “targeted” at the CDC’s buildings, CNN reported.
One CDC employee told the outlet he was leaving work when he saw the suspected gunman approach the steps of the agency’s campus, set down a backpack, and fire away at the building.
“We have friends and their kids who were on lockdown,” the unidentified worker said, adding that he heard at least seven shots when he called his wife to make sure his children, who attend the agency’s daycare, were safe.
“I have very close colleagues who were locked down in the office at CDC, you know, cowering or sort of sheltering in place.”
Chilling photos shared on social media showed bullet holes piercing the windows of the health agency’s headquarters, located right next to the university.
The CDC campus remained on lockdown for hours after the shooting, as officials investigated and worked to reunite the daycare’s children with their parents, officials said.
“We at the CDC are heartbroken by today’s attack on our Roybal Campus,” health officials said in a statement.
“A courageous local law enforcement officer gave their life… after a gunman opened fire on at least four CDC buildings. Our top priority is the safety and well-being of everyone at CDC. We are actively coordinating with federal, state, and local partners to fully investigate the shooter and this tragic crime.”
The crazed gunman was later found on the second floor of the CVS building with a fatal gunshot wound, after shooting DeKalb County officer David Rose, police said.
The heroic officer, who leaves behind his pregnant wife and two children, was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
“This evening, there is a wife without a husband,” DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson said at a press conference, where officers praised their fallen brother’s unwavering commitment to his community.
“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. Let’s join together to give this family the support it needs during this traumatic loss.”
No other civilians or police were injured in the shooting.
Police said they have not yet determined whether the gunman’s fatal gunshot was self-inflicted.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens ominously said that the shooter “is a known person that may have some interest in certain things that I can’t reiterate right now.”
The suspect’s father, however, had alerted authorities that he believed his son was suicidal shortly before the shooting, CNN reported.
While it wasn’t immediately clear how much time had passed between the call and the brazen attack, law enforcement told the outlet the shooter was possibly sick, attributing the supposed ailment to the COVID-19 vaccine, according to police interviews with the suspect’s family.
Police have not publicly disclosed a motive behind the vicious shooting.
Shortly after gunshots erupted, Emory University officials issued an urgent alert around 5 p.m., reporting an active shooter near the Emory Point CVS on campus and urging all students to “RUN” and “HIDE.”
Local, state and federal officers swarmed the scene, with horrifying social media videos showing a rapid barrage of gunfire as first responders raced to the college.
In one video filmed by a nearby resident, eight gunshots ring out, followed by a brief pause, then more than a dozen pop in rapid succession.
“It sounded like fireworks going off, one right after the other,” Brandy Giraldo, the owner of a nearby deli, told the Associated Press.
One police cruiser at the scene also appeared to have been hit by about a dozen gunshots to its windshield and hood.
One photo taken at the terrifying scene shows what appears to be a man lying lifeless on a stretcher beside an ambulance surrounded by dozens of police officers.
It remains unclear whether the person pictured is the alleged shooter.
Students were advised to shelter in place as the terror unfolded, with the lockdown lifted by 6:30 p.m.
“We are horrified by the news out of Emory University and praying for the safety of the entire campus community,” Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr said on X.
“We stand ready to assist our law enforcement partners with whatever they may need.”
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