Runners at the Atlanta’s Finest annual 5K race on Saturday raised money for the family of DeKalb County police Officer David Rose, who was killed while responding to a report of an active shooter outside the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week.
Nearly 1,700 people signed up to run in the race to honor Atlanta law enforcement and public safety officials, and this year the Atlanta Track Club announced all of the registration proceeds will go to the late 33-year-old DeKalb officer’s family.
“Officer Rose’s sacrifice reminds us of the courage it takes to protect and serve,” said Dave Wilkinson, president and CEO of the Atlanta Police Foundation.
Credit: Caleb Groves
Credit: Caleb Groves
Minutes before starting the race, runners took a moment of silence to honor Rose, who served four years in the Marines.
As runners crossed the finish line at Pemberton Place, Denise Wright, 47, and Khalil Shadlan, 8, sat down to catch a breath. Wright said they try to run at least three 5Ks a month.
Shadlan, of Atlanta, said he’s run in 5Ks since he was 4.
They have a rule after every race: Wright said whoever loses must pay for breakfast.
Shadlan won on Saturday, as he does most times, and planned to eat breakfast at Waffle House — his favorite spot.
“I’ve lost like one time,” he said.
Credit: Caleb Groves
Credit: Caleb Groves
For some, the race was less about breaking personal records and more about supporting the race’s cause.
Cliff Gordon, a 55-year-old Army veteran, said he came out to support police and honor Rose.
“This is a very turbulent time,” said Gordon, of Forsyth County.
Gordon, a pastor, expressed his concerns and prayers for Rose’s family, especially the officer’s wife, a mother of two children with a third child on the way.
“It just saddens my heart,” he said.
Jennifer Ray, 44, said she and her husband make an effort to run a race for a worthy cause on a monthly basis.
Ray, of Barrow County, said they’ve run races to support firefighters, animal shelters, childhood cancer and local schools.
In addition to the race proceeds, a GoFundMe has been created to support Rose’s family.
Credit: Caleb Groves
Credit: Caleb Groves
Meanwhile, investigators are working to understand the motive of the gunman, who they say died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Earlier this week, law enforcement found a document “that expressed the shooter’s discontent with the COVID-19 vaccinations.”
Investigators also said they recovered more than 500 shell casings from the scene of last week’s shooting outside the CDC.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
