Police Officer Killed in Shooting Near CDC Headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia

A police officer was killed while responding to a shooting near the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Emory University in Atlanta on Saturday, an incident that has reignited calls to address gun violence and firearm accessibility in the United States.

According to NBC News, shots were fired at CDC buildings located near the agency’s main campus. Atlanta Police Chief stated that officers heard gunfire inside one of the CDC facilities and entered to locate the shooter. The responding officer later died from his injuries.

Investigations revealed that the suspected gunman was found on the second floor of one of the CDC buildings and died at the scene from a gunshot wound.

Authorities have yet to confirm whether the fatal injury was self-inflicted or the result of police fire.

Police reported multiple bullet impacts on CDC buildings. While the motive remains unclear, investigators believe the assailant may have targeted law enforcement or the facility itself.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is leading the probe, with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens noting that it is still too early to determine whether the CDC was an intended target.