Columbia Officer Fallen in Line of Duty | Columbia News

Columbia mourns the tragic loss of Officer Chris DeLong, 28, who died in a line-of-duty shootout this past Saturday — the first such fatality since 1974. His partner was wounded, and the suspect was killed. A powerful community memorial has bloomed outside the police station, while nonprofit Serve & Connect, founded by a police widow, is rallying to support DeLong’s family and injured partner with 100% of donated funds. Friends remember DeLong as kind, devoted, and inseparable from his high school sweetheart wife, Hannah. The State Law Enforcement Division investigates independently, and details remain withheld until after his services. The public is invited to honor him at a visitation on Thursday and a Celebration of Life on Friday at Riverland Hills Baptist Church. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/837f7d9fc2e336ce