One officer dead, one injured in a shooting at South Carolina park, police say

In a tragic incident in South Carolina, a police officer lost his life and another was injured during a "gunfight" in a park following a call about a domestic dispute, according to Columbia police Chief W.H. "Skip" Holbrook. The suspect, 33-year-old Adam Tyler Dowdy, with a history of criminal offenses in multiple states, also perished in the incident.

The deceased officer, 29-year-old Christopher DeLong, had been with the police department for just two years and leaves behind a wife and two young children. DeLong's wife expressed her grief through a social media post, describing him as the "best dad to our babies" and stating that she was "living a nightmare."

Chief Holbrook described the situation as a "breakdown of humanity" and emphasized that DeLong's family was in their thoughts during a news conference held that Saturday evening. After the conference, officials joined in a procession to the hospital where the injured officer, David Dymock, was receiving treatment. Dymock is currently in stable condition.

The shooting began when a woman reported a domestic dispute at around 9:30 a.m. She provided a description of the suspect and the vehicle he was driving, which led DeLong to pursue the man. Moments later, around 10:30 a.m., DeLong received a call about a suspicious person and initiated a search, which resulted in the fatal encounter with Dowdy.

The suspect had a lengthy criminal record, including arrests in at least four states for charges such as disorderly conduct, contempt of court, public intoxication, possession of a controlled substance, and probation violations.

South Carolina Law Enforcement Division will lead the investigation into the shooting. Holbrook requested support from fellow officers, urging them to lean on each other during this tragic time.