Daniel Chiodini dies in fatal Columbia shooting
Fatal Columbia shooting death of Daniel Chiodini
Following a targeted police vehicle, a man from St. Louis has been arrested. The incident took place shortly after 5:30 PM on Sunday when officers from the Columbia Police Department answered a call for vandalism on old Foxworth Road. While in the area, they received intelligence about potential intruders at a nearby property.
As the officers proceeded to investigate the trespassers, an escaping suspect spotted their patrol car. This individual, armed with a shotgun, fired at the front left part of the vehicle, using buckshot from a stolen 12-gauge weapon. No police personnel were injured during the attack.
The accused, identified as 32-year-old Daniel Chiodini from St. Louis, Missouri, then sprinted from the scene toward the Pearl River. After hiding the shotgun in nearby plants on the east side, Chiodini attempted to swim across the river to a boat ramp on the west side.
Multiple agencies, including the Columbia Police Department, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Walthall County Sheriff’s Office, the Marion County Constable, and the Columbia Fire Department, responded to the location and secured the suspect’s capture.
Chiodini is expected to face charges related to breaking into a house, possessing a stolen firearm, and attempting to murder a law enforcement officer. A statement from Chief Adrien Fortenberry praised the officers’ actions, saying, “I am proud of each of these officers who responded. Because of their professionalism and coordinated efforts, this suspect, who came to our community to cause harm, was apprehended without injury.”
