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Distraught mom recalls chilling text about CDC HQ shooting from wife: ‘She was asked to stay quiet’

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, in a news conference, said that all 92 children who were inside the daycare during the CDC HQ shooting are safe.

Updated on: Aug 9, 2025, 07:22:15 IST
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A distraught mother waiting for her toddler who goes to the daycare on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) campus recalled the chilling moment she came to know about the shooting incident that shocked Atlanta. A police officer was killed in the shooting. Reportedly, the shooter is also dead.

A Fulton County police officer talks to an Emory University student near the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta after a shooting incident. (AFP)
A Fulton County police officer talks to an Emory University student near the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta after a shooting incident. (AFP)

“It’s very scary. I am also angry that for a year and a half he [son] had to experience something like this,” the mom said in an interview with CBS News, adding, “We should be able to take them to daycare, our spouses should be able to pick them up safely without gunfire.”

Also Read: Eyewitness posts video of NYC shooting scene, says horror moment reminded her of 9/11 attacks: ‘All sights, sounds’

Her wife heard the gunshots while picking up their kid from the daycare. Thankfully, the mom could speak to his wife, who said they are safe. The outlet interviewed her while she was waiting outside the scene for her son and wife.

The mom shared that her wife texted her during the shooting and couldn’t call because they were asked to stay quiet and hidden. She continued that she was waiting to be reunited with her son and spouse. “I need to see my son as soon as possible.”

All 92 children are safe:

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said that the children in the daycare inside the CDC campus are all safe, and authorities are working to reunite them with their parents.

“I’m a parent as well. I know your uncertainty and your fear and concern has been high,” Dickens said at a news conference. The mayor added, “We wanted to come give you this message that all the children are safe and that we will be making sure that you get reunited with them as soon as possible.”

What do we know about the shooter?

Reportedly, the Emory University shooting suspect targeted the CDC, believing that the COVID-19 vaccine made him sick. According to a CNN report, he was wearing what appeared to be a surgical mask and was carrying multiple guns.

“He is a known person that may have some interests in certain things, that I can’t reiterate right now with any confidence until the investigation is fully conducted. But I think in short order you’ll know more about this individual and some assumptions about his motives, but I can’t say right now,” Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said while speaking about the suspect, reported NBC News.

Also Read: Zohran Mamdani reacts to horrific Midtown Manhattan shooting that killed 4, including an NYPD officer

The suspect was reportedly found dead on the second floor of the building that had a CVS pharmacy store. It is located across the street from the CDC campus. Though the police said the suspected shooter died after getting hit by gunfire, they are not sure whether the cops shot him or if it was self-inflicted.

  • Trisha Sengupta
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Trisha Sengupta

    Trisha Sengupta is a Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of digital newsroom experience. Specialising in high-engagement storytelling, she blends viral trends with traditional journalism to cover the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. Her reporting spans real estate and personal finance struggles in hubs like Bengaluru and Gurgaon, the NRI experience, and corporate shifts like tech layoffs. Trisha also frequently tracks global figures and writes human interest stories. Offline, Trisha is an avid reader, history enthusiast and solo traveler. She balances her journalism career with family life while actively integrating AI tools into her modern storytelling approach.Read More