Columbia Police Department Mourns the Loss of Office Christopher Delong | Press Conference 8/29/26

Our hearts are broken this evening. We gather under the worst circumstances you could possibly imagine. We're deeply >> [clears throat] >> hurt and something that's very painful for us to discuss. What started today as a very ordinary day has changed everybody's lives standing here forever. And that began with a call for service this morning at 1:05 Holstein Lane that left our agents our colleagues, our families, and our entire community facing a something that's just unimaginable. Two Columbia police officers were involved and injured in an officer-involved shooting while investigating a reported domestic violence dispute. And it's with heartbreak and sadness that I'm informing you that one of our officers has succumbed to those injuries. Columbia police officer Christopher DeLong has died from injuries sustained in the officer-involved shooting. Officer DeLong was 29 years old. He's been with the police department for 2 years. He's survived by his wife, two young children. Our thoughts and our prayers are first and foremost with Officer DeLong's family, his loved ones and friends, and his co-workers. We recognize that no words expressed today could adequately express the magnitude of this loss or ease anyone's pain. And I know we all share that loss and acknowledge what an honor and a pleasure it was to both know him and love him and work with him. Our officer our other officer injured today is Officer David Dimmick. He's been with the department since 2024 and he's a currently assigned to the Southeast region. Officer Dimmick is is in stable condition and our prayers are with him as he continues to recover from wounds sustained during the gunfight. This is what we know. At approximately 9:27 a.m. our officers were dispatched to a disturbance in progress in the 100 block of Holstein Lane. A female complainant advised she had had a restraining order against a male subject and that he was currently in her residence destroying property. At 9:30 the call was assigned to officer DeLong. At 9:43 officer DeLong arrived on scene where he spoke with the female complainant and he quickly learned that the male subject had left the residence. During the time that the complainant was able during that time the complainant, the female complainant, was able to provide officers with a description of the male subject subject and his name and a vehicle description. At 10:32 the officer left the residence and cleared the call. A few minutes later officer DeLong initiated a call at 9:51 Hazelwood Road Road for a suspicious person. Officer DeLong initiated the call and found a person standing near a vehicle that was previously described by the female complainant. At 10:41 officer Dimmick responded as a backup officer. At 10:45 officer Dimmick radioed officers were hit and a suspect was down. It's been confirmed that the male suspect was the same suspect suspect from the Halstead Lane incident. The suspect has been identified and this is the only time that I will refer to him by his name is Adam Dowdy of Prosperity, South Carolina. He's a white male, 33 years of age. He has a criminal history and convictions for disorderly conduct, miscellaneous criminal offenses, operating motor vehicle under the influence, contempt of court, public intoxication, possession of a controlled substance, and probation violations. It appears that he may have been out on bond for a battery of a family of family violence battery of a first offense out of DeKalb, Georgia, but we're still trying to ver- verify that preliminary information. He has a history of several arrests that span through the following states: South Carolina, Kentucky, Wisconsin, and Georgia. The State Law Enforcement Division has been requested to investigate the incident. And additional details will be released as appropriate. I ask this. You pray for the DeLong family to have strength as they navigate this unimaginable time for their family. Pray for Officer Demings' recovery. Pray for his family. And pray for these police officers that serve so courageously in our capital city. I appreciate the assistance of the State Law Enforcement Division, the Richland County Sheriff's Department, our coroner that's here. And all of our law enforcement partners. I've heard from every single law enforcement leader in in the Midlands. Local, county, state, and federal. As well as as well as our governor. Uh I hope that our officers know that they're not alone in this. We will we will lean on each other in this tragic time. Just Just pray for this Pray for this department. I I'm not going to answer any questions at this time, but we will you you you have a a packet with information about our our officers and the and the suspect, and we will we will brief you um as information is determined. Ms. Wilson or Mayor, would you all like to say anything? Thank you.