Mother remembers fallen DeKalb County officer David Rose
A DeKalb County community is mourning the loss of Officer David Rose, a Marine veteran and newly sworn-in police officer who was killed in the line of duty Friday while responding to a shooting near the CDC,
(NBC)- A DeKalb County community is mourning the loss of Officer David Rose, a Marine veteran and newly sworn-in police officer who was killed in the line of duty Friday while responding to a shooting near the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
His mother, Deveane Atkinson, described Rose as someone who had always been ready to help others. “He would definitely be the one you would call on if you needed help,” she said.
Police say Rose was among those responding when a gunman opened fire near the CDC. The suspect was later found at a CVS, where the incident came to a deadly end.
“He was fearless,” Atkinson said, recalling her son’s four years of service in the Marines. She admitted she had concerns when Rose first considered becoming a police officer, urging him to wait because of the dangers of the job. He listened for a time, working in other fields, but ultimately decided law enforcement offered the stability and purpose he sought.
Rose graduated from the DeKalb County Police Academy on March 31. Outside the uniform, he was a husband, a role model to his younger brother, and a father — with a third child on the way. His oldest is just six years old.
Atkinson shared that her son was taken to the same hospital where she worked as an ER nurse for 17 years. Many of the doctors there knew Rose personally, making the loss even more difficult for staff.
She believes Rose’s familiarity with the area allowed him to respond so quickly that day. “If you would ask him, he would do it again. That’s the kind of person he is — he would do it again,” she said.
Now, the community is honoring the sacrifice of a man who ran toward danger when others ran away. “I thank every one of those officers for what they do,” Atkinson said. “As civilians, we thank you for what you do.”
