Police officer killed, another wounded in Columbia park shooting; suspect dead

Fatal Shooting at Columbia Park

A Columbia, South Carolina police officer was killed and a second officer was wounded in a shooting at a park on Saturday, according to police officials. The suspect in the incident also died.

Columbia Police Department Chief H. "Skip" Holbrook said at a news conference Saturday evening that the shooting began after two officers responded to a reported domestic dispute. According to police, the incident started around 9:30 m. when a woman called to report that a man against whom she had a restraining order was destroying property at her home.

Officer Christopher DeLong, who was later killed in the exchange of gunfire, arrived at the residence and learned the suspect had already left, police said. The woman provided DeLong with a description of the man and his vehicle. Around 10:30 , after spotting a man matching the description, DeLong radioed in a report of a suspicious person, and Officer David Dymock arrived as backup. Minutes later, Dymock radioed other officers saying that both officers had been hit and a suspect was down.

The Victims and the Suspect

The deceased officer was identified as Christopher DeLong, 29, who had served with the Columbia Police Department for two years, Chief Holbrook told reporters. He is survived by his wife and two young children.

The wounded officer, David Dymock, was in stable condition, according to officials.

The suspect was identified as 33-year-old Adam Tyler Dowdy, who police said had a history of arrests in at least four states. His previous charges included disorderly conduct, contempt of court, public intoxication, possession of a controlled substance, and probation violations.

Official Response

At the news conference, Chief Holbrook expressed grief over the loss. "Our hearts are broken this evening," he said, adding that the deceased officer was survived by a wife and two young children. He urged officers to support one another, saying, "We will lean on each other in this tragic time. Let's pray for this department."

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division will investigate the shooting, according to officials. Chief Holbrook did not take questions but said further briefings would be forthcoming.

In a social media post, DeLong's wife described the loss as "living a nightmare" and paid tribute to her husband as "the best dad to our babies," as reported by The Times of India.