The Georgia officer killed when a deranged gunman opened fire on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters was known for his deep commitment to serving his community, leaving behind a pregnant wife and two children, police said.
DeKalb County officer David Rose, 33, was shot by the unidentified masked attacker who unleashed a barrage of bullets on the health agency before storming into a CVS located on the Emory University campus in Atlanta around 4:50 p.m. Friday, the police department announced.
The gunman was also found shot at the scene, though police are unsure if his fatal wound was self-inflicted.
Law enforcement sources told CNN the shooter likely targeted the CDC after he became sick with an apparent illness he blamed on the COVID-19 vaccine, according to police interviews with the suspect’s family.
Gunshots first rang out Friday at about 5 p.m., prompting Emory University to issue an urgent alert 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 harrowing scene, with chilling photos shared on social media showing bullet holes piercing the windows of the CDC’s building, located right next to the University.
Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said the shooter sprayed multiple rounds at law enforcement and the health agency, which also houses a daycare caring for 92 children, all of whom were unharmed.
One police cruiser at the scene also appeared to have been hit by about a dozen gunshots to its windshield and hood.
The CDC Atlanta campus was on lockdown following the shooting.
Rose – the heroic officer who joined the department in September 2024 – was rushed to Emory University Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
“It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that we announced the passing of Officer David Rose who was tragically killed in the line of duty,” the police department said in a news release late Friday night.
“Officer Rose served DeKalb County with courage, integrity, and unwavering dedication. Even in the face of danger he was diligent in his duty to protect our community.”
Police said Rose was responding to the chaotic scene alongside local, state, and federal law enforcement partners when he was struck by the fatal gunfire.
He leaves behind his pregnant wife and two children.
“This evening, there is a wife without a husband,” DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson told reporters Friday night.
“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.”
Authorities confirmed that no other civilians were injured in the shooting and there is no longer an active threat.
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