Campus Alert Archive
Emory

Run, Hide, Fight at the CVS: Gunman Targets CDC Entrance on Clifton Road, Killing DeKalb County Officer

GAactive shooteremergency notificationhigh confidence
Confirmed Threat

On August 8, 2025, a lone gunman opened fire at Emory Point near the main entrance to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Clifton Road. Emory University issued an active shooter alert at 5:02 PM EDT directing the campus to shelter in place. DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose was killed in the line of duty while responding to the incident. The shooter was also killed.

Alerts
3
Response
—
Killed
1
Injured
0
Institution
Emory University
Private R1 · GA
~16,000 studentsRave Mobile SafetyEmory Emergency
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

3 messages in sequence · 3 verified verbatim

INITIAL ALERTTwitter/X
Verified verbatimEmory University official Twitter/X account127 chars
Emory Emergency: Active shooter on Emory Atlanta Campus at Emory Point CVS. RUN, HIDE, FIGHT. Avoid the area. Shelter in place.
This active-shooter alert was distributed via email and text at 5:02 PM EDT on August 8, 2025, per The Emory Wheel; an earlier 'police emergency' text went out at approximately 4:50 PM EDT
The alert uses the RUN, HIDE, FIGHT protocol in all caps, indicating the severity of the situation
The shooting location at Emory Point CVS is an apartment and retail complex bordering Emory's Atlanta campus, directly across from the CDC main entrance on Clifton Road
UPDATESMS
Verified verbatimEMORY_CEPAR official X account (@EMORY_CEPAR) tweet153 chars
Emory Emergency: Active shooter on Emory Atlanta Campus at Emory Point CVS. RUN, HIDE, FIGHT. Avoid the area. Continue shelter in place. Police on scene.
Verbatim text from the EMORY_CEPAR (Emory Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response) official X account
Emory Police Department officers were among the first to respond and engage the shooter on Clifton Road
The shelter-in-place remained in effect even after the suspect was confirmed down, as police continued to secure the area
ALL CLEARSMS
Verified verbatimEMORY_CEPAR official X account (@EMORY_CEPAR) tweet announcing shelter-in-place lifted139 chars
Emory Emergency: A police emergency continues on the Emory Atlanta Campus at Emory Point. Avoid the area. Shelter in place has been lifted.
Verbatim text from the EMORY_CEPAR official X account; shelter-in-place was lifted at approximately 6:30-6:34 PM EDT per The Emory Wheel
DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose, 33, a former US Marine who deployed to Afghanistan and graduated DeKalb Police Academy Class 138 on March 31, 2025, was killed; he left behind a wife and three children, one unborn
Police were operating under the theory that the gunman targeted the CDC, possibly motivated by grievances related to COVID-19 vaccines
Context

Background

On August 8, 2025, at approximately 4:50 PM EDT, Patrick Joseph White, 30, of Kennesaw, Georgia, opened fire at Emory Point, an apartment and retail complex on Clifton Road bordering Emory University's Atlanta campus and directly across from the main entrance to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Emory University immediately issued an active shooter alert via Twitter/X directing the entire campus to shelter in place using RUN, HIDE, FIGHT protocol. Emory Police Department officers were among the first responders and engaged the lone shooter on Clifton Road. DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose, 33, the first officer to respond, was critically wounded and died at Emory University Hospital; a former US Marine who deployed to Afghanistan, he had entered the DeKalb Police Academy in September 2024, graduated Class 138 on March 31, 2025, and left behind a wife and three children, one unborn. The suspect, Patrick Joseph White, 30, was found dead on the second floor of the Emory Point CVS. Police operated under the theory that White targeted the CDC, possibly motivated by grievances related to the COVID-19 vaccine. The shelter-in-place was lifted around 6:30 PM EDT. No Emory students, faculty, or staff were physically injured.
Analysis

Key Findings

The shooter appeared to target the CDC headquarters rather than Emory University itself, but the campus alert system was activated due to the proximity of the shooting to campus
Emory's alert used the explicit RUN, HIDE, FIGHT protocol and was issued almost immediately after shots were reported
The incident highlighted the vulnerability of campus communities to off-campus violence in adjacent areas, particularly when federal facilities are nearby
Outcome
The suspect, Patrick Joseph White, 30, of Kennesaw (Cobb County), Georgia, was found dead on the second floor of the CVS at Emory Point; authorities could not immediately determine whether his fatal wound was self-inflicted or from police fire. DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose, 33, the first officer to respond, was critically wounded and died at Emory University Hospital. No Emory students, faculty, or staff were physically injured. The shelter-in-place was lifted around 6:30 PM EDT.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Social
    Emory University emergency alert on Twitter/X
    x.com
  2. Social
    EMORY_CEPAR update tweet — active shooter, continue shelter in place
    x.com
  3. Social
    EMORY_CEPAR tweet — shelter in place lifted
    x.com
  4. Official
    Statement on Yesterday's Shooting Incident (Emory University President)
    president.emory.edu
  5. News
    Officer killed, suspect identified in shooting near CDC headquarters (ABC News)
    abcnews.com
  6. News
    Gunman dead in Atlanta shooting near CDC and Emory University (CBS News)
    cbsnews.com
  7. News
    Emory University Atlanta shooter: What we know (Fox 5 Atlanta)
    fox5atlanta.com
  8. News
    DeKalb Officer David Rose remembered after fatal CDC shooting (Axios Atlanta)
    axios.com
  9. News
    Suspect in shooting near Emory, CDC identified by GBI (Atlanta News First)
    atlantanewsfirst.com
  10. Student Paper
    Active shooter causes 'police emergency' at Emory Point (The Emory Wheel)
    emorywheel.com
Tags
active-shootercdcofficer-killedline-of-duty-deathcovid-grievancegeorgiaprivate-universityrun-hide-fightadjacent-facilityoff-campus-threat
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion