Atlanta officials confirmed a suspected shooter behind an attack on Aug. 8 near Emory University and the headquarters for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is dead and a law enforcement officer was killed.

Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said the shooter "fired at law enforcement and potentially the CDC." Schierbaum said police found the suspect on the second floor of a building housing a CVS store across the street. He died at the scene from a gunshot wound. It was unclear if it came from officers or was self-inflicted.

DeKalb County Officer David Rose, 33, was killed in the attack, authorities said in a news release late on Aug. 8. DeKalb Police Chief Gregory Padrick asked for privacy for the family.

DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson said Rose was a father of two with another child on the way. He died at Emory University Hospital.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said the suspected shooter was a "white male and he’s a person known to have interest in some certain things."

They declined to elaborate on the shooter's potential motive. Officials said the DeKalb County Police officer killed was responding to the active shooter reports. Four CDC buildings were fired on in the attack, according to Director Susan Monarez.

No civilians were injured, Dickens said.

Emory officials first announced there an "active shooter" at the CVS store on campus around 4:30 p.m. local time and urged people to "RUN, HIDE, FIGHT. Avoid the area." University officials lifted the shelter in place order at about 6:30 p.m.

There was heavy police presence at Emory Point, and sirens blared and gunshots could be heard, in footage shared by FOX 5 Atlanta on Facebook.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation in Atlanta said in a post on social media that it was "aware of the incident" and agents were responding to it in coordination with local law enforcement.

What we know about the police officer killed in the attack

DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose was killed in the attack as he was responding to the gunfire, Police Chief Gregory Padrick said.

"It is with profound sadness that we announce the loss of life of one of our very own police officers," Padrick said. "He gave his life with a commitment to serve others and he should be respected for that."

The 33-year-old officer leaves behind a growing family, Dekalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson said.

"This evening there is a wife without a husband, there are three children, one unborn, without a father," Cochran-Johnson said. "There is a mother and father as well as siblings who also share in this traumatic loss."

Officials said Rose joined the department in September 2024 and served the North-Central Precinct.

Four CDC buildings hit in attack

The Centers for Disease Control's Roybal Campus in Atlanta remains on lockdown after the gunman hit four of its buildings, Director Susan Monarez said in a statement late on Aug. 8.

"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," Monarez said. "We are deeply grateful to Governor Kemp, Georgia residents, and the American people for standing with us during this difficult time."

Police are still investigating the shooter's motive and targets but earlier on Aug. 8, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum had said the shooter "fired at law enforcement and potentially the CDC."

What witnesses saw and heard

Brandy Giraldo, chief operating officer of General Muir, an Atlanta delicatessen, told The Associated Press that workers heard a string of gunshots.

“It sounded like fireworks going off, one right after the other,” she said.

Randy Gold told CNN he was leaving a nearby hospital with his father when he saw people running for their lives.

"My father was just discharged so we were rolling out of the elevator in a wheelchair, he said. "As soon as we turned towards the exit, people were running toward us, doctors, nurses, the valet parkers, everybody screaming that there’s an active shooter,” Gold told CNN.

He said he and his father “ducked into a hallway” and into the first office they could find. They were sheltering in place.

Georgia governor calls out 'deranged criminals'

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp lamented another shooting so soon after the shooting rampage Aug. 7 that left five U.S. soldiers wounded at Fort Stewart, also in the Peach State.

"Twice this week, deranged criminals have targeted innocent Georgians," Kemp said in a statement. "Each time, brave first responders rushed toward the danger to subdue the shooter and save lives, reminding us of just how crucial they are."

Georgia's attorney general also reacted to the reports of an active shooter.

"We're horrified by the news out of Emory University," said Attorney General Chris Carr in a statement. "We stand ready to assist our law enforcement partners with whatever they may need."

Where is Emory University?

More than 15,000 students are enrolled at Emory University in undergraduate and graduate programs.

The university is located northeast of Midtown Atlanta and is situated near the headquarters of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Police say active shooter near Emory University is dead, one officer killed

Reporting by Michael Loria, Anthony Robledo and Lauren Villagran, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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