In brief
An Atlanta police officer has tragically died after being critically injured while responding to a shooting incident outside the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters on Friday. The shooting occurred near Emory University, where authorities identified a "single shooter" who is also deceased. Officer David Rose was subsequently transported to the hospital but unfortunately did not survive his injuries. Thankfully, no civilians were reported injured during this alarming event.
While the motive for the attack remains unclear, reports from US media suggest speculation that the gunman may have believed he was suffering from adverse effects of a coronavirus vaccine. Further investigations indicate the shooter’s father had contacted police the same day, expressing concerns over his son's mental health and possible suicidal tendencies.CDC Director Susan Monarez expressed profound sorrow over the attack, stating that the swift response from DeKalb County police, CDC security, and Emory University effectively prevented additional harm to the community. During a press conference, police shared that they were alerted to the situation as an active shooter at approximately 4:50 PM local time. Multiple agencies quickly mobilized to the scene, while Emory University issued urgent alerts advising people to "RUN, HIDE, FIGHT." Reports confirmed that several rounds struck CDC buildings, and police later found the shooter with gunshot wounds, though it remains unclear if they were self-inflicted or resulted from law enforcement response.In light of recent events, CDC staff have been instructed to work remotely on Monday as safety measures are reevaluated.
