A gunman fatally shot a police officer Friday near the headquarters of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta before being found dead, authorities said.
No civilians were killed or injured in the incident, during which multiple shots were fired on the CDC campus, police confirmed.
“Officers arrived and found a critically injured DeKalb County police officer,” Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum told reporters.
The officer, identified as 33-year-old David Rose, later died from his wounds. He is survived by his pregnant wife and two children, the department said.
The shooter’s identity has not been released. CNN and The New York Times reported that the suspect may have blamed the COVID-19 vaccine for an unspecified illness.
The man’s father had contacted authorities earlier on Friday, warning that his son was suicidal, the reports added.
The shooting began shortly before 5:00 p.m. local time (2100 GMT) near the CDC campus and a nearby pharmacy.
The suspect believed to be acting alone was found dead on the second floor of a CVS drugstore with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“The shooter is deceased, and we don’t have any civilians that have been shot in this active shooter incident,” Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said.
Ninety-two children from a daycare centre on the CDC campus were safely evacuated and reunited with their families at a nearby school.
“We at @CDCgov are heartbroken by today’s attack on our Roybal Campus,” CDC Director Susan Monarez wrote on X, praising the “courageous” officer killed in the line of duty.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp also paid tribute to law enforcement officers “who answer the call to serve and protect their fellow Georgians,” urging prayers for the victims and their families.