ATLANTA—A man opened fire near the headquarters of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta on Friday, resulting in the deaths of a police officer and the suspected gunman, according to authorities. The incident prompted a large-scale law enforcement response and lockdowns at neighboring institutions, including Emory University.
The shooting began outside a CVS store at Emory Point, a commercial area adjacent to both the CDC’s Roybal Campus and Emory University’s main campus. According to Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum, officers from multiple agencies responded to the initial emergency call. They found a critically injured DeKalb County officer, who was later pronounced dead. The shooter was found on the second floor of the CVS building and had also sustained fatal gunshot wounds. Officials have not yet determined whether the shooter’s death was a result of police action or was self-inflicted.
Bullets struck at least four buildings on the CDC campus, leaving visible damage to windows. Despite the property damage, no CDC employees or visitors were reported to have been physically harmed. Staff at the CDC were instructed to work remotely on Monday while a security assessment is conducted. In a statement, CDC Director Susan Monarez expressed gratitude to law enforcement and offered condolences to the family of the fallen officer.
The motive behind the shooting remains unknown, and the names of the deceased officer and the gunman have not yet been released. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation, with assistance from the Atlanta Police Department and the FBI.
