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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.
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - The mother of a DeKalb County police officer gunned down in the shooting at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta said she is trying to cope with losing her son.
David Rose dies during CDC shooting
The backstory:
Officer 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.
A large memorial now stands outside the CDC, near where Officer Rose died in the line of duty while trying to protect people. Another memorial sits outside the DeKalb County Police Department headquarters in Tucker.
RELATED: CDC Atlanta shooting: Memorials continue to grow for Officer Rose
David Rose's mother on losing him
What they're saying:
Rose's family says service to others is a value they hold above all else.
Deveane Atkinson-Burnett, Rose’s mother, is trying to stay strong as she processes her loss.
"It’s been a lot, just taking it one day at a time," she said. I'm trying to cope. It’s up and down, up and down."
Atkinson-Burnett said her daughter-in-law called her about her son. She said she was walking with a friend, about to stop for lunch, when the call came from her son’s wife.
"She was saying that he wasn’t with us anymore. I said ‘what do you mean, not with us?’" she said.
At first, she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
"He’s got to be alive, he’s probably just hurt," she thought to herself.
A nurse practitioner, Atkinson-Burnett, once worked at the hospital where her son was taken. She called a friend who still works there.
"He says ‘you need to be here.’ and I said, ‘my son is dead—I knew then, my son is dead.’"
The reality hit hard: "Devastating, it was just devastating," she said.
Officer David Rose as a child with his mother, Deveane Atkinson-Burnett. (Deveane Atkinson-Burnett)
Officer Rose was 33, a husband and father of two with a third child on the way. He served as a Marine, completing a tour in Afghanistan.
Remembering his resolve, Atkinson-Burnett said, "He said, ‘That’s where the action is, I'm going."
This past March, Rose graduated at the top of his class from the DeKalb County Police Academy. During his graduation, he addressed his classmates about running towards danger.
Watch Officer David Rose speak at his academy graduation
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DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose graduation speech
DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose rushed towards the scene of the active shooter near Emory University and the CDC. He died after being shot, according to the GBI. At his academy graduation, Rose was the class leader and spoke at the graduation. He called for officers to respect the badge and remember they do more than enforce laws.
To his family, he was defined by courage and compassion. As his mother put it, he was "fearless, strong, go-getter and always there for someone in need."
Help Officer Rose's family
What you can do:
Multiple GoFundMe accounts have been set up to help Rose's family as they mourn their loss.
Possible CDC shooter motive revealed
Dig deeper:
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is still investigating the shooting, and the community continues to gather at the memorial to honor Officer Rose’s service and sacrifice.
Joseph Patrick White, 30, is accused of the deadly shooting. Officials said they believe he was motivated by his disdain for the COVID-19 vaccine based on their investigation. He died by suicide after shooting White, according to the GBI.
The Source: Information in this article came from FOX 5's Christopher King speaking with Officer David Rose's mother and past FOX 5 reporting.