This story is live and will continue to be updated as new information becomes available.

University releases information on serious assault and confirms shooting

Emory University Communications notified the campus community at 11:56 a.m. that shots had been fired early that morning at Emory Point, prompting an Emory emergency alert to be sounded at approximately 8:21 a.m.

Emory Police Department (EPD) officers arrived at the scene and learned that the shooting stemmed from an argument between two co-workers at an undisclosed restaurant in Emory Point. According to the email, the perpetrator – a 60-year-old black man wearing a blue uniform jacket – retrieved a gun from his car and fired at a co-worker in the kitchen, but missed. He then pointed the gun at another co-worker before fleeing the scene in a silver 2021 Chevrolet Malibu with license plate CXZ7407.

The suspect is not currently in custody, but the university gave the all-clear at around 8:45 a.m. after EPD officials confirmed he had fled the scene.

University problems resolved after report of “police emergency” at Emory Point

Emory University notified community members of a “police emergency” on the Emory Point campus in Atlanta at around 8:21 a.m. this morning. The alert, sent through the university’s emergency notification system, urged people to avoid the area.

The university gave the all-clear at around 8:45 a.m. The message instructed community members to contact emergency personnel “if necessary.”

Fox 5 Atlanta reported at 8:57 a.m. that the Emory Police Department (EPD) was investigating a shooting in the area. Multiple EPD vehicles and officers were on the scene.

According to Fox 5 Atlanta, employees of the catering company Bon Appétit evacuated the area. Emory Point is home to apartments and businesses on Clifton Road, less than a mile from Emory’s Atlanta campus. The complex also houses some senior students.

Vice President for University Communications and Marketing Laura Diamond wrote in an email to The Emory Wheel that she had no further information on the situation at this time. It is currently unclear if the reports of a shooting are accurate.

The university did not provide community members with any further information about the emergency, leading students to speculate about the situation. Users on Fizz, a social media platform that allows Emory students to anonymously share posts, expressed confusion about the situation at Emory Point. One user asked if anyone at the complex could describe the location and if police were present. Fizz posts questioning the emergency at Emory Point have received more than 1,000 upvotes as of 11 a.m.

It has been over two years since the last incident involving a suspected shooter on campus. In May 2022, students stayed home for over two hours after a university social media post falsely claimed there was an “active shooter” on the Atlanta campus. The university eventually deleted the post and Vice President of Public Safety Cheryl Elliot, who served as EPD chief at the time, apologized for the confusion and explained that there was a possibly armed person on campus, not an active shooter.

Update (September 19, 2024, 12:30 p.m.): This article has been updated with new information on serious bodily harm.