Police Officer Killed, Gunman Dead in Atlanta CDC, Emory Shooting

A gunman opened fire near the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, killing a DeKalb County police officer responding to the incident and then dying at the scene, with authorities unclear if the shooter died by police gunfire or self-inflicted wounds. The shooting occurred near a CVS drugstore at Emory Point, across from the CDC and adjacent to Emory University, with multiple bullet holes found in CDC buildings, though no civilians were injured. The suspect was armed with a long gun and carried multiple magazines, wearing ear protection and a surgical mask. Investigators learned from the shooter's family that he was mentally unwell, reportedly blaming his illness on the COVID-19 vaccine, and the shooter's father had previously contacted police expressing concerns about his son's suicidal tendencies. Ninety-two children were safely evacuated from a nearby daycare during the incident. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and local officials have expressed condolences and called for prayers for the officer's family and the community affected by the tragedy.