South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster has ordered flags at the state capitol and other buildings around the state to be flown at half-staff to honor a police officer who died in the line of duty.
Columbia Police Officer Christopher DeLong Jr., 29, was shot and killed while responding to a domestic disturbance on Saturday, Aug. 29. Another officer, David Dymock, was also shot and injured but has been released from the hospital.
"The Governor orders that the flags atop the State Capitol be lowered to half-staff from sunrise until sunset on Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, in tribute to Officer Christopher Michael DeLong, Jr. of the Columbia Police Department and in honor of his selfless service and supreme sacrifice in the line of duty," read a statement from the governor's office.
Around 10:41 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 29, DeLong responded to property damage in a domestic disturbance near the 900 block of Hazelwood Road in Southeast Park in Columbia, according to a department statement on Facebook.
DeLong Jr. reportedly responded to a home on Holstein Lane, where a woman told police she had a restraining order against Adam Dowdy, and he was at the house causing a disturbance and destroying property. Dowdy fled when she dialed 911, according to the police's statement on the incident.
According to investigators, DeLong spotted a man and vehicle matching the description at 951 Hazelwood Road in Southeast Park and called it in. Dylock responded as backup. The two officers and Dowdy were shot during the incident. The deadly shooting unfolded in Southeast Park, located at 951 Hazelwood Road, in Columbia.
Dowdy, 33, of Prosperity, was also killed.
DeLong served with the Columbia Police Department for two years and leaves behind his wife and two children.
Flags at the state capitol and other government buildings from sunrise to sunset on Friday, Sept. 4.
According to USA.gov, the U.S. flag flies at half-staff or at half-mast when the nation or a state is in mourning.
The flag can be ordered to fly at half-staff by the president, a state governor, or the mayor of the District of Columbia.
Here are the events that usually trigger it:
The death of a government official, military member, or first responder
Memorial Day or another national day of remembrance
A presidential order requires flags be flown at half-staff at the White House, all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations and on all naval vessels in the United States and its territories. Flags at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations will also be flown at half-staff.
A state-issued flag change comes from the governor and flags at the state's capitol building and/ or all state/county run public facilities are lowered to half-staff.
On ships and at naval stations ashore, flags are flown at half-mast.
Elsewhere ashore, flags are flown at half-staff.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: SC flags to be flown at half-staff to honor officer killed in line of duty