Emory University shooting: Who is Officer David Rose?

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. – A DeKalb County police officer was shot and killed Friday during an active-shooter incident at a CVS across from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s main campus near Emory University, officials said.

Interim Police Chief Greg Padrick confirmed the death during an evening news conference, identifying the fallen officer as 33-year-old David Rose. Rose joined the department in September 2024 and served in the North Central precinct. He is survived by his wife, two children and a third child on the way.

“This officer responded to the call as he was trained to do,” Padrick said. “He was committed to serving the community. We ask for your prayers and your thoughts during this difficult time, especially for his family, his friends, his loved ones and the entire DeKalb County Police Department family.”

How the shooting unfolded

Timeline:

Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said the first 911 call came in at 4:50 p.m., prompting a multi-agency response. Officers arrived at the CVS at Emory Point and found Rose critically wounded. He was rushed to Emory University Hospital, where he later died.

Police located the suspected gunman, described as a white male, on the store’s second floor with gunshot injuries. It is unclear whether his wounds were self-inflicted or caused by police gunfire. Atlanta Fire Rescue removed him from the building so medics could attempt lifesaving aid, but he died at the scene.

Police respond to the scene of a shooting at a CVS near Emory University in Atlanta on Aug. 8, 2025. Authorities said a police officer and a civilian were injured and the suspected shooter is dead. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)

Authorities said the shooter fired at multiple windows on various floors of the CDC building during the incident. Ninety-two children in a daycare on the CDC campus were unharmed.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens confirmed there were no civilian victims struck by gunfire. Four people later went to the hospital for stress and anxiety symptoms related to the incident.

What we know:

Authorities emphasized that the situation is now contained, but a large police presence remains in the area as investigators process the scene and interview witnesses. Traffic disruptions are expected to continue into the evening.

• A male DeKalb County police officer was injured, taken to the hospital, and later died.
• The suspected shooter, a white male, is dead.
• No civilians were shot.
• Four additional individuals later went to the hospital for stress and anxiety symptoms related to the incident.
• 92 children at a daycare on the CDC campus are safe.
• Windows on multiple floors of the CDC building were struck by gunfire.
• The shooter acted alone.

What we don’t know:

Police say those answers will come as the investigation moves forward. Officials are urging anyone with information, video, or photos from the area at the time of the shooting to contact Atlanta police or Crime Stoppers.

• The shooter’s identity or confirmed cause of death.
• The motive behind the shooting.

“At this time, we are not going to release [the officer’s] name. With respect for the family. But we will provide his name and photograph at a later time,” Padrick said. “We ask for your prayers and your thoughts during this difficult time, especially for his family and for all of the officers involved in this incident and the DeKalb County Police Department.”