A gunfight between a man with an extensive arrest record and two police officers in Columbia, South Carolina, left one officer dead and another wounded on Saturday morning. The officers responded to a domestic dispute call at a residence, where a woman reported that a man she had a restraining order against was destroying property. The suspect, Adam Tyler Dowdy, had left the scene by the time the officers arrived, but they found him about an hour later and a confrontation ensued.
A "gunfight" broke out, resulting in the death of Officer Christopher DeLong, a 29-year-old veteran of the Columbia police department who had been on the force for two years. Officer DeLong leaves behind a wife and two young children. The second officer, David Dymock, is in stable condition, according to police Chief W.H. "Skip" Holbrook.
Chief Holbrook described the incident as "the worst of circumstances you could possibly imagine." He expressed his condolences to Officer DeLong's family and praised the officers who responded to the scene. The suspect, Dowdy, was also killed in the gunfight. Holbrook noted that Dowdy had a history of arrests in multiple states, including South Carolina, Kentucky, Wisconsin, and Georgia.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is investigating the shooting. Chief Holbrook asked for people to pray for the DeLong family as they navigate this difficult time. He also thanked the community for their support and expressed his gratitude for the outpouring of condolences from law enforcement agencies and elected officials, including South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster and U.S. Sen. Darline Graham.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
View original reporting →
