ATLANTA, GA — Confusion and misinformation have swirled online following Friday’s deadly shooting outside the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) building at Emory Point in Atlanta. While social media posts linked Canadian student Silas Kruger to the attack, authorities have not confirmed the suspect’s identity, and Kruger’s family firmly denies any involvement.
Kruger, an Emory University student who lives in Canada with his mother, became the target of a wave of false accusations after multiple posts claimed he was the gunman who opened fire on the CDC building along Clifton Street. His mother, speaking to the Hindustan Times via email, condemned the online harassment, stating, “We have people that have been harassing my son (Silas Kruger) online, but we live in Canada. They have been spreading false information about him for years.”
The viral claims appear to have been fueled by content from a parody social media account posing as Kruger. The account circulated misleading posts, prompting widespread speculation. Kruger is the son of a well-known contractor with more than 2.9 million Instagram followers under the handle @krugerconstruction. Several family photos of Silas were publicly visible on that account, adding to the spread of misinformation.
Authorities confirmed that the shooter — who died during an exchange of gunfire with Atlanta police — has yet to be formally identified. According to CNN, citing a CDC employee, the suspect arrived with a backpack, placed it on the ground, drew a rifle, and began firing at the building. One Atlanta police officer and a civilian were injured in the shootout; their conditions remain undisclosed.
Law enforcement sources also told CNN that the suspect’s family reported he believed he was ill and blamed the COVID-19 vaccine for his condition. Investigators believe that grievance may have motivated the attack on the CDC facility.
As of now, there is no official confirmation linking Kruger to the incident, and his family urges the public to avoid spreading unverified information.