Remembering Officer Stacy Case...

Limestone College sends its thoughts and prayers to the family of Officer Stacy Case, who was killed in the line of duty in Columbia on Saturday. Case graduated from Limestone with a bachelor’s in criminal justice.

The article below is from Columbia television station WLTX.

Calling it a "tragedy beyond words," Columbia Police Chief Skip Holbrook said his department is in mourning following the death of one of their fellow officers.

Holbrook spokes Sunday at a news conference about the death of Officer Stacy Case, who was killed Saturday night following a traffic collision at the intersection of Park Street and College Street.

Holbrook was flanked by fellow officers from his department, as well as Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott and Forest Acres Police Chief Gene Sealy. All were wearing a black strip of cloth across their badges as a tribute to Case.

"There's nothing that prepares you for an event like this," Holbrook said. "It shakes you to the core."

Holbrook said around 10:13 p.m., officers got a call of shots fired in Columbia's Vista, the entertainment district in the city's downtown area. Case, who normally works in the North Division of the city, was in the area, and was one of the many officers who began to respond.

Less than five minutes later, officers got the call of a collision involving her vehicle and a University of South Carolina Law Enforcement vehicle. Case and the other officer were taken to the hospital, where Case was pronounced dead at 11:07 p.m. The other officer, Sergeant Allan Bolin, is in stable condition with non-life threatening injuries.

The Highway Patrol is investigating the cause of the collision.

Holbrook said Case had been with his agency just over four years, but had a previous 15-year career in the U.S. Army as a military police officer, where was a veteran of the Iraq War.  She received several awards while serving her country, including the Iraq Campaign Medal with two campaign stars, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Award, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation, and a Good Conduct Award.

"She walked into the door with tremendous respect, being a military police officer," Holbrook said.

He said in her time with his agency, she had earned the respect of her co-workers.

"She just exemplified everything that we look for in a police officer and embodies all that we respect in a law enforcement officer," the chief said. "She was inspiring to be around and it was contagious."

The Michigan native had held a variety of jobs within the department since coming to Columbia, and was focused on developing her professional career. She'd even recently completed a Criminal Justice degree program from Limestone College.

Case's death comes just over a month after the death of Forest Acres Officer Greg Alia and the devastating flooding in Columbia, adding one more tragedy to the difficulties law enforcement has faced in the last six weeks.

"We'll grieve together and we'll get through this," Holbrook said. "We all share a bond when we put this badge on."

Holbrook said their working to put together a memorial for Case, but those details have not yet been set. People who wish to make donations or send condolences in her honor can contact the Columbia Police Department Foundation and earmark those tributes to the memory of Officer Case.

In response to the tragedy, Mayor Steve Benjamin tweeted, "Our hearts are heavy with the @ColumbiaPDSC tonight on the loss of one of our fallen heroes. #Prayers."

Columbia City Manager Teresa Wilson released a statement saying, "It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the loss of fallen Columbia Police Department Officer Stacy L. Case. I have directed that all City of Columbia flags fly at half-staff at all City facilities effective Monday, November 9, 2015 in memory of Officer Case."

The Lexington Police Department as well as Lexington Sheriff's Department shared their condolences on social media.

The Lexington Police Department posted, "Our thoughts and prayers to the family of Officer Stacy Case of The Columbia Police Department, SC who lost her life in the line of duty overnight." And the Sheriff's Department tweeted, "Our thoughts and prayers to Chief Holbrook and all of @ColumbiaPDSC in the wake of Officer Case's line-of-duty death."