DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — The mother of the officer killed in the shooting targeting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said he would put his life on the line again if it meant saving lives.
“He would do it again. He would do it again, without even questioning. He would put his life on the line for anyone,” Deveane Atkinson told Channel 2’s Courtney Francisco, speaking about her late son, Officer David Rose.
She said Rose was 19 when he told her about his plans to join the U.S. Marine Corps. At that time, he’d recently graduated from Peachtree Ridge High School in Gwinnett County.
“He lived fearless, knowing that someone is going to have to be there to protect people,” said Atkinson.
When he returned from a deployment to Afghanistan, he started his dream career, first as a deputy for the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office.
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Last year, he joined the DeKalb County Police Department.
All the while, he was growing his young family. His oldest child is six. His youngest is one. His wife is pregnant with their third child right now.
“She’s holding up as much as she can. It’s still unbelievable for her,” said Atkinson.
His mom said her son was the first officer there to help on Friday when gunfire erupted at the CDC.
Doctors pronounced Officer Rose dead at Emory University Hospital. The shooter died.
She said doctors who tried to revive him knew him because she was a nurse with them for many years.
“He had the best team working on him,” said Atkinson.
She has not seen images from Friday’s attack.
“I’m still numb. Like, of all people, why?” said Atkinson.
She said to take comfort in knowing there are police out there like him.
“I’m so grateful that they stand in the line for us when there are people out there that would kill us,” said Atkinson.
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