An Aug. 8 shooting on Emory University campuses in Atlanta and in front of the CDC’s Roybal campus has left one police officer and a suspected shooter dead.
According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, David Rose, an officer with the DeKalb County (Ga.) Police Department, was shot and killed during the incident. Patrick White, age 30 and the suspected shooter, also died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Around 4:50 p.m., the Atlanta 911 Center received a call regarding an active shooter at Clifton Road and CDC Parkway, in front of the CDC campus, Atlanta Police Department Chief Darin Schierbaum said during an Aug. 8 news conference.
Officers from different agencies responded to the incident and located Mr. Rose, who was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta.
The suspect was then located on Emory Point CVS Pharmacy’s second floor, across from a CDC building, ABC News reported Aug. 9.
“He had been struck by gunfire,” Mr. Schierbaum said with respect to the suspect. “We do not know at this time if that was from officers or if it was self-inflicted.”
During an Aug. 12 news conference, Chris Hosey, director of the GBI, said Mr. White had no known criminal history but had recently verbalized suicidal thoughts.
“A search warrant executed at the residence of the shooter revealed written documentation that expressed the shooter’s discontent with the COVID-19 vaccinations,” Mr. Hosey said. “These documents are currently being examined by GBI certified profilers.”
Paul Brown, special agent for the FBI’s Atlanta field office, said during the news conference that nearly 500 rounds were fired during the incident, with almost 200 striking CDC campus facilities.
“FBI swat, along with special agents, went through room by room, clearing the facilities on the CDC campus to make sure no one was struck,” Mr. Brown said. “I’m glad to say that everyone was safely evacuated, to include all the children in daycare.”
On Aug. 11, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill and CDC Director Susan Monarez, PhD, toured the CDC headquarters to review damage across multiple buildings and the main guard booth following the incident, according to an HHS news release shared with Becker’s.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic shooting at CDC’s Atlanta campus that took the life of officer David Rose,” Mr. Kennedy said in an X post. “We stand with his wife and three children and the entire CDC family.”
Most Roybal Campus CDC employees will work remotely the week of Aug. 11, with added security and safety measures being implemented prior to their return.
A GoFundMe page has been set up for Mr. Rose’s family.
Editor’s note: The investigation is ongoing. Becker’s has reached out to Emory Healthcare for comment and will update this story if more information becomes available.
This story was updated Aug. 13 at 4:08 p.m. Central time.
