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The DeKalb County Police Department identified the officer killed Friday while responding to a gunman near the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia,
Officer David Rose, 33, was shot and killed while responding to the shooting at the CDC campus, which prompted a shelter-in-place order for nearby Emory University. The suspected gunman, who has not yet been identified, was also killed.
Rose was rushed to Emory University Hospital on Clifton Road, where he died from his injuries.
He began working for the police department last September, the agency said, and is survived by his pregnant wife and two children.
POLICE OFFICER KILLED AFTER SHOOTING NEAR CDC HEADQUARTERS, EMORY UNIVERSITY IN ATLANTA
“He was committed to serving the community,” Interim Police Chief Greg Padrick said in a statement. “At this time we’re asking for the community’s prayers for his family, his friends, his loved ones and the entire DeKalb County Police Department family.”
The incident unfolded shortly before 5 p.m. when a man opened fire in front of the CDC campus, according to Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum. When officers responded to the location, they found Rose critically wounded and heard additional gunfire coming from a nearby CVS pharmacy.
Officers entered the pharmacy and located the shooter on the second floor with at least one gunshot wound. Schierbaum said it was not clear if the wound came from police gunfire or if it was self-inflicted.
“I want to commend the men and women of law enforcement from all across this region,” Schierbaum said. “When this community needed them, no one shirked from the danger. Every officer, from multiple districts, responded and immediately moved to end this threat.”
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CDC Director Susan Monarez said the agency was “heartbroken” over Friday’s deadly events.
“A courageous local law enforcement officer gave their life, and another was injured, after a gunman opened fire on at least four CDC buildings,” she said in a statement. “DeKalb County police, CDC security, and Emory University responded immediately and decisively, helping to prevent further harm to our staff and community.”
Federal and state officials said they were horrified by the shooting and expressed appreciation for law enforcement’s swift response. Among those sharing statements about the tragic incident was U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga.
“I am mourning the tragic death of the officer who was killed in the line of duty today, and I am praying for the officer’s family and friends. Atlanta law enforcement saved countless lives, and we are grateful for their service,” Warnock said.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI) is leading the investigation into the shooting and the FBI’s Atlanta office said it will assist.
Fox News’ Alexandra Koch, Sophia Compton and Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
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