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by WILL FOLKS
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An officer of the Columbia, South Carolina police department (CPD) is dead following a shooting that took place late Saturday morning (August 29, 2026) at a local park.
According to the agency, it responded to an “officer-involved shooting that occurred this morning in the Southeast Park area of Columbia.”
“Two CPD officers were injured during the incident,” the agency posted to social media. “At this time, there is no ongoing threat to the public.”
The shooting took place prior to 12:00 p.m., the agency noted.
One of the officers wounded in the incident succumbed to his injuries on Saturday afternoon. Sources familiar with the status of the investigation have confirmed the accuracy of social media posts made by a family member of the slain officer which mourned his passing.
FITSNews will await a formal announcement before releasing any information regarding the officer who lost his life.
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Southeast Park is located at 951 Hazelwood Road in Columbia, S.C. – approximately 6.5 miles southeast of the S.C. State House. The 62-acre facility includes a walking trail, lake and over a dozen tennis courts.
A suspect reportedly involved in the shooting is also dead, while a second CPD officer was reportedly wounded during the incident. There is no update regarding the second officer’s condition as of this publication.
The South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is leading the investigation into the shooting at the request of CPD. Deputies of the Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) were also assisting the investigation.
“RCSD is assisting CPD with a major incident at Southeast Park,” a statement from the sheriff’s office noted. “The scene is secure. All entrances to the park are closed at this time. We ask the public to avoid the area in order to give first responders space to work.”
This is a developing story… please check back for updates.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
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