DeKalb County officer killed in shooting near Emory University was a Marine, beloved family man

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - David Rose woke up on Friday, Aug. 8, as he had done for the past 11 months — to honor the badge and serve the DeKalb County community. But this time, he didn’t get to go home to his wife and children.

Rose, 33, was killed in the line of duty while responding to a call involving a reported gunman near Clifton Road and CDC Parkway on Emory University’s Atlanta campus.

“This evening there’s a wife without a husband, three children — one unborn — without a father, and a mother and father as well as siblings who also share in this traumatic loss," DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson said in a statement.

UPDATES: What we know about the shooting near Emory University

Rose joined the DeKalb County Police Academy in September 2024 and graduated from the police academy in March of this year. County officials said he “quickly earned the respect of his colleagues for his dedication, courage, and professionalism.”

During his graduation ceremony on March 31, Rose gave a speech to his fellow graduates of Academy Class 138.

“When we step out onto these streets, we are ready. When someone calls for help, we don’t hesitate. And when things get tough, and they well, we don’t break,” Rose said. “Policing isn’t just about enforcing the law, it’s about protecting the vulnerable, standing for justice and being the person who runs toward danger when others run away.”

Rose was no stranger to service. He spent four years with the United States Marine Corps, including a deployment to Afghanistan. Prior to joining the force in DeKalb, he was also a jailer in Gwinnett County.

Officers swarmed the area of Emory Point, an apartment and retail complex along the university’s campus, at around 4:50 p.m. after reports of a gunman near the CVS.

At least four CDC buildings were hit, Director Susan Monarez said in a post on X. Images shared by employees showed multiple agency buildings with bullet-pocked windows, underscoring the breadth of the damage to a site where thousands of scientists and staff work on critical disease research.

FULL STORY: Suspected gunman and police officer dead in shooting near the CDC and Emory University, police say

The gunman was found on the second floor of a building across the street from the CDC campus and died at the scene, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said. He added that “we do not know at this time whether that was from officers or if it was self-inflicted.”

The shooter was armed with a long gun, and authorities recovered three other firearms at the scene, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation.

The gunman’s motive is still unknown, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said.

“The entire Kemp family is also mourning today’s tragic loss of Officer David Rose,” Gov. Brian Kemp wrote on social media. “His service and memory will not be forgotten by a grateful state, and his loved ones and fellow [DeKalb County police] officers will remain in our hearts and prayers as they grieve his passing and this painful day.”

Funeral arrangements for Rose have not been announced.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.