CDC shooting: Officer David Rose honored at memorial service

Memorial service for Officer David Rose underway

A memorial service for Officer David Rose was underway at noon Friday in Dunwoody. Officer Rose was killed in the attack on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

DUNWOODY, Ga. - Family, friends, and members of the public gathered in Dunwoody today to remember the life of Officer David Rose, the DeKalb County police officer killed earlier this month while responding to a shooting outside the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters. 

Rose, a 33-year-old former U.S. Marine, had been on the force only a few months when he was killed while on duty. His wife was pregnant with their third child at the time of his death.

Officer David Rose remembered

DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose, a 33-year-old former U.S. Marine, had been on the force only a few months when he was killed while on duty. His wife was pregnant with their third child at the time of his death.

MORE PHOTOS: Memorial service for DeKalb County Officer David Rose

What we know:

The service began at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church Atlanta, located at 4400 North Peachtree Road in Dunwoody. 

FULL: Memorial service for DeKalb Officer David Rose

A memorial service was held Aug. 22 for DeKalb County Officer David Rose, who was killed when he responded to reports of an active shooter at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Aug. 8.

"Officer Rose dedicated his life to serving and protecting our community," said DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson. "We welcome residents to join us on August 22 to honor his service, reflect on his legacy, and stand with his family and our law enforcement community."

The ceremony was open to the public. Seating was available on a first-come, first-served basis, and guests were encouraged to arrive early for parking and security screening. On-site parking was available, with staff directing traffic.

Mother of David Rose, fallen Dekalb police officer, on his sacrifice

The mother of a DeKalb County police officer gunned down in the shooting at the CDC said she is trying to cope with losing her son. David Rose died Friday after being shot while responding to an active shooter who had opened fire from a CVS store onto the CDC headquarters. Rose had been on the force only a few months when the gunman shot and killed him.

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The backstory:

The shooting happened outside the CDC's headquarters in Atlanta on Aug. 8.

According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, 30-year-old Joseph Patrick White opened fire on the CDC's headquarters because he believed the COVID-19 vaccine made him ill.

A memorial for DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose grows outside of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Roybal campus located along Clifton Road in Atlanta during a visit by director Dr. Susan Monarez on Aug. 21, 2025. (FOX 5)

More than 200 bullets hit four buildings on the Royal campus off Briarcliff Road in the North Druid Hills area of DeKalb County. 

White killed himself during a confrontation with other police officers, the GBI says. More than 500 shell casings were recovered after the incident. 

Security video indicates "a very high likelihood" that White tried to enter the CDC's campus two days before the shooting.

The attack is still under investigation. 

What you can do:

Multiple GoFundMe accounts have been set up to help Rose's family as they mourn their loss.