Emory University update: Officer killed, suspect dead in shooting near Atlanta campus, CDC offices
(Update: Suspect killed, officer also died)
ATLANTA (NBC News) -- A DeKalb County officer was fatally shot Friday while responding to a call of an active shooter at an intersection near Emory University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, officials said.
An active shooter alert was sent to the Emory University campus and nearby areas late Friday afternoon in an incident that left an officer fatally injured and the shooter dead, authorities said.
Atlanta police said the incident involved a single shooter, who died of gunfire on the second floor of a building that houses a CVS.
Emory University sent out an active shooting alert to its Atlanta campus at 5 p.m. The lockdown was lifted about an hour and a half later.
Multiple rounds of gunfire struck the CDC offices, and officials were investigating whether they were fired purposefully, police said.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said it was too early in the investigation to know the suspect's motive.
DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson said, “Today is a very dark day” as she mourned the loss of a county police officer who was shot and killed as he responded to an active shooter call near the CDC.
“This evening, there is a wife without a husband,” Cochran-Johnson said. “There are three children, one unborn, without a father.”
"There is a mother and a father, as well as siblings, who also share in this traumatic loss," she said.
Lorraine Cochran-Johnson, the CEO of the county, said her thoughts and prayers are with those affected by Friday's event and she's grateful for the quick law enforcement response.
"I urge everyone to stay alert, remain indoors, and follow official guidance as we allow law enforcement to complete their investigation," Cochran-Johnson said.
"RUN, HIDE, FIGHT. Avoid the area," the school said in a post on social media and its website Friday afternoon, advising everyone to shelter in place.
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr said his office was "horrified" by the active shooter situation on or near Emory's campus and said they are "praying for the safety of the entire campus community."
"We stand ready to assist our law enforcement partners with whatever they may need," Carr added.
The FBI was sending agents to assist local law enforcement with the shooting at or near Emory University, a spokesperson said.
Pharmacy chain CVS said that no one inside the store was hurt in the shooting that occurred near its Emory Point location.
"We’re cooperating with the Atlanta Police Department as it investigates a shooting near our Emory Point store. All colleagues, customers and patients are safe. The store is currently closed and will reopen when the scene is cleared," a spokesperson for CVS said.
