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The father of the suspect in the Emory University shooting phoned police before the attack to say he feared his son was suicidal, according to CNN, which said it had spoken to the father.

The network said it was not immediately clear how long before the shooting the call was made.

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.

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A witness – who works for the CDC – told CNN that he saw the gunman walk up to the CVS before raising his rifle and starting to fire. “It was certainly targeted at the CDC.”

He said he rang 911, spoke to the operator for three minutes and was told there were additional reports coming in to the emergency line about the incident. “The shooting went on for several minutes after that.”

The man said he usually picked up his kids from daycare but that his wife had happened to pick them up earlier, about 10 minutes before the incident. However, he said he had friends whose children remained in the daycare during the shooting incident.

The witness said he didn’t know why the gunman was shooting at the CDC building from across the road and not from closer. “I really don’t know why he didn’t walk across the street [towards the CDC building], maybe just luck.”

There are 92 children in a nearby daycare waiting to be reunited with their parents, officials said at this evening’s press conference.

The daycare is attached to the CDC and officials confirmed the children are safe.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens reassured worried parents.

“To those parents of those 92 children that are at the CDC, I’m a parent as well. I know your uncertainty and your fear, your concern has been high,” Dickens said.

“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.

“I know your heart is just really, really aching, but the good news is none of them have been injured, and we will get you connected to those, to your loved ones really soon.”

A DeKalb County Officer was shot and is critically injured, officials said.

He was responding to the active shooter scene, officials confirmed.

Atlanta police chief Darin Schierbaum said there were no injuries at the CDC building where the suspect fired multiple rounds.

Schierbaum said that four individuals were taken to the hospital for stress and anxiety symptoms.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said the suspect was a white male “who may have interest in certain things” as he was quizzed on a possible motive.

“I think that in a short order, you’ll know more about this individual and about some assumptions of his motive, but I can’t say right now,” Dickens said.

Atlanta police chief Darin Schierbaum said the CDC received “multiple rounds through their windows” after the suspect opened fire.

Officers could hear gunfire within the CVS pharmacy.

They found the shooter on the second floor of the building that houses the CVS. He died at the scene.

“He had been struck by gunfire, it was not clear if police or self-inflicted,” Schierbaum said.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens has confirmed that no civilians were killed in this afternoon’s shooting.

He said authorities are working to reunite families, as 92 children remain inside a day care on campus near the scene of the shooting.

Police are reportedly working on the theory that the CDC was the suspect’s target, who “blamed his illness on the Covid-19 vaccine,” a law enforcement official told CNN.

The network also reported that the officer who responded to the active shooter incident has died, but the Atlanta Police Department has not confirmed the report.

Officials are due to hold a press conference in the next 10-15 minutes to provide more details about what unfolded this afternoon on the Emory University campus and the CDC campus.

We’ll bring you more details from the news conference as they come in.