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by WILL FOLKS
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An officer of the Columbia, South Carolina police department (CPD) was killed – and another officer wounded – following a “gunfight” that took place on Saturday morning (August 29, 2026) at a local park. According to the agency, its officers were involved in “a 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.
One of the officers wounded in the incident, 29-year-old Christopher DeLong, succumbed to his injuries on Saturday afternoon. The other officer, David Dymock, was reportedly in stable condition and expected to survive his injuries.
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DeLong was mourned by his wife, Hannah DeLong, who wrote that she was “living a nightmare” after hearing the news of her husband’s death.
“I am heartbroken,” she noted. “My person. My love. The best dad to our babies and the person I’ve been with since I was 16 was killed today in the line of duty. Someone’s selfish decisions took away the one person I loved and knew I would always have.”
DeLong said she was “going through every stage of grief while also still remembering there’s two babies having to go through this as well.”
She vowed to “figure this out because I have to live for my babies.”
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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.
According to CPD chief Skip Holbrook, his officers were dispatched at approximately 9:27 a.m. EDT to a call regarding a domestic disturbance at another location – in the 100 block of Holstein Lane. That’s a suburban neighborhood located less than two-thirds of a mile south of the park. According to the female complainant, a male suspect against whom she had taken out a restraining order was allegedly in her home “destroying property.”
Assigned to the case, DeLong responded to the residence on Holstein Lane at 9:43 a.m. EDT – however the male suspect, later identified by authorities as 33-year-old Adam Dowdy of Prosperity, S.C., had previously fled the scene.
The female complainant provided DeLong with a description of Dowdy, his name and a description of the vehicle in which he was traveling.
Roughly an hour later, DeLong initiated a call from the park after observing “a person standing near a vehicle previously described by the female complainant,” according to Holbrook.
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At 10:41 a.m. EDT, Dymock responded to the park as DeLong’s backup. Less than five minutes later, at 10:45 a.m. EDT, Dymock radioed dispatchers and informed them “officers were hit and a suspect was down.”
Dowdy was pronounced dead in the aftermath of the shooting.
According to Holbrook, Dowdy had a criminal history which included “convictions for disorderly conduct, miscellaneous criminal offenses, operating a motor vehicle under the influence, contempt of court, public intoxication, possession of a controlled substance and probation violations.”
At the time of the shooting, Dowdy was reportedly out on bond as he faced an assault and battery charge out of Dekalb County, Georgia – one of four states in which he reportedly had been involved in run-ins with law enforcement.
The South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is leading the investigation into Saturday’s shooting at the request of CPD. Deputies of the Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) were also assisting the investigation.
Responses to the shooting came fast and furious from the highest levels of government in the Palmetto State.
“The hearts and prayers of South Carolinians are with the family of the fallen Columbia police officer who made the ultimate sacrifice serving and protecting others,” U.S. senator Tim Scott noted. “We also pray for the full recovery of the injured officers and ask God to watch over their fellow officers and comfort those who are grieving.”
Meanwhile, South Carolina’s top prosecutor (and GOP gubernatorial nominee) Alan Wilson said he was monitoring the situation closely.
“I’ve been in close contact with law enforcement leadership and am following developments surrounding today’s shooting,” Wilson wrote. “Jennifer and I are praying for the officers involved, their families, the Columbia Police Department, and our entire law enforcement community. Please continue to lift them all up in prayer.”
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UPDATE |
Officer Dymock has been released from the hospital…
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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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6 comments
The Judges and Solicitors that have Handled The PROSECUTION of this Dowdy THUG have Many Questions to Answer! 1st one is Why was he NOT IN Prison?? 2nd Why was this Thug NOT in Prison! 3rd How did he Obtain a Gun!!
Another thug that should have been under the dirt many moons ago. AG Wilson, does this make you proud? When will the laws protect the innocent vs the degenerates?
His previous offenses were not anything that would result in him “being under the dirt.” We can’t just kill everyone who breaks any law. Also, Wilson doesn’t make the laws – he can only enforce the ones passed by the Legislature. If you think Dowdy should have been incarcerated longer, then that is an issue for the people that pass the laws.
Additionally, going by the few reports out, Adam Dowdy’s convictions (minor or major) were in three states other than South Carolina.
Now, this should NEVER be taken as blaming the victim; but should there not be a re-examination of how South Carolina’s Criminial Justice Academy trains future officers to handle situations, not uncommon at all, of domestic disturbance reports to where they do not end with two young men killed by gun shots and a third young man hospitalized with a gunshot wound?
Perhaps, domestic disturbances should be handled by institutions other than solely law enforcement officers.
Perhaps there should be units of social workers, medical emergency services, relevant clergy, AND back-up law-enforcement trained to work together to de-escalate domestic disturbance situations with the suspects NOT arrested but PERHAPS taken to a calming facility, a hospital or a church.
These are just thoughts, and invitations to imagination, because the SOLELY criminalization/law-enforcement model in response to family matters ended up in the disaster we just saw and could, God forbid, lead to another disaster.
And, of course, condolences to the loved ones of the deceased and prayers for speedy and complete recovery of the wounded.
Sickening. Perps of domestic violence are the human scourges of society and some of the most dangerous people walking our streets….always willing to kill and then off themselves, as they are weak and don’t want to face consequences. I am glad he didn’t have the opportunity to do it himself. It was done to him. But left in his wake of insecurity, jealousy, control and COERCION, is a young officer who will miss out on the rest of his life and his poor parents, wife and children will suffer the rest of their lives, due to this traumatic and huge loss.
FITS, if there is a fund being established to receive donations for Delong’s family, please update this article with that information.