New York, August 30: A tragic shooting occurred in a park in Columbia, South Carolina, resulting in the death of a police officer and injuries to another. According to police reports, the suspected shooter was also killed. WH Skip Holbrook, chief of the Columbia Police Department, confirmed the incident.
As reported by Xinhua News Agency, Holbrook stated during a press conference that the shooting took place at Southeast Park on Hazelwood Road. The two officers were responding to a domestic dispute when the gunfire erupted.
The fallen officer, identified as 29-year-old Chris DeLong, was shot while on duty. The second officer, David Dymock, was also injured but is reported to be in stable condition.
During the press conference held on Saturday evening, Holbrook expressed, “We are facing such tragic circumstances that perhaps no one could imagine.”
Police secured the scene by around noon local time, urging the public to stay away from the area as the investigation continues.
According to the ‘Officer Down’ memorial page, the last police officer in Columbia to be killed in the line of duty was Lieutenant Philip George Schlaterer, who died on July 25, 1974. This incident marks the first of its kind in over 50 years.
Earlier this month, a shooting in a park in Lexington, Kentucky, resulted in one death and four injuries. Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers reported that the incident occurred at Charles Young Park in the downtown area, where five individuals were shot. Among the injured were a four-year-old child, a 14-year-old teenager, and two adults, all of whom were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
During the ongoing investigation, a significant police presence was maintained in downtown Lexington, with several roads closed.
In a separate incident, a shooting at Virginia State University left five people injured, prompting the university administration to temporarily lock down the entire campus as a precaution.
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