ATLANTA, GA – A shooting on Friday afternoon near Emory University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters has left a police officer and the suspected gunman dead. The incident, which began around 4:50 p.m. at a CVS located at 1600 Clifton Road, prompted a massive law enforcement response and put both the university and the CDC on lockdown.
Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum detailed the events in a press conference. The initial 911 calls reported an active shooter in the area. When officers arrived, they found a DeKalb County officer critically injured. The officer, whose name has not yet been released, was immediately transported to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson said the officer was a husband and father of three, with another child on the way.
Police then heard gunfire coming from inside the CVS building and quickly moved to find the shooter. They located the suspect on the second floor, with a long gun. The suspect had been shot and was later pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have not yet determined whether the fatal wound was self-inflicted or caused by police fire. According to a law enforcement official, three other firearms were recovered at the scene.
While no civilians were injured by gunfire, Chief Schierbaum confirmed that multiple rounds hit buildings on the CDC campus. CDC Director Susan Monarez, who was not on campus at the time, later posted on X that at least four CDC buildings were struck. Four people were taken to the hospital for symptoms of stress and anxiety. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, who also spoke at the press conference, said the suspect was a “white male” with a known “interest in some certain things,” but declined to elaborate on a potential motive.
The situation was declared contained just after 6:30 p.m., though a large police presence remained to continue the investigation. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and other officials praised the bravery of the first responders, with Kemp stating, “Twice this week, deranged criminals have targeted innocent Georgians,” referring to a separate shooting incident at Fort Stewart military base. The Emory University “shelter in place” order was lifted around 6:34 p.m., but police continued to advise the public to avoid the area.