Ga. officer killed in CDC shooting awarded Purple Heart, Medal of Honor

ATLANTA, Ga. - Two months after he was shot and killed during an attack on the CDC Atlanta headquarters, a Georgia police officer has been given two posthumous awards.

DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose, 33, was awarded the Purple Heart and Medal of Honor during an Atlanta Police Department (APD) awards breakfast on Tuesday. His widow accepted them on his behalf.

The Purple Heart is awarded to those hurt or killed in action, while the Medal of Honor is the country’s highest award for military valor.

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In a speech, APD Chief Darin Schierbaum said Rose did not die in vain.

“Through his selfless sacrifice on Aug. 8, lives were saved. This very morning, families are whole, and evil was stopped in its tracks,” he said. “I believe it was our moral obligation to provide him the two highest [awards] we could provide him.”

He also applauded everyone who responded to the call that day.

“Everyone who wore a badge and answered the call knew ‘run’ and ‘hide’ was not an option,” he said. “In our world, there is only one option, and that is to ‘fight.’”

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Before graduating from the DeKalb County Police Academy in March 2025, Rose spent four years with the United States Marine Corps and was a Gwinnett County jailer.

In a speech during his graduation ceremony, Rose encouraged his fellow graduates to be ready for anything.

“When someone calls for help, we don’t hesitate. And when things get tough, and they will, we don’t break,” he 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 leaves behind two children, with a third on the way.