Columbia police officer dies from coronavirus complications
A 35-year veteran of the Columbia Police Department has died of complications from COVID-19, the department announced Tuesday.
Master Police Officer Robert J. “Bob” Hall, 57, died early Tuesday, CPD chief Skip Holbrook said in a press release. Hall began receiving treatment for the coronavirus on July 5.
Hall is the first publicly known Columbia Police Department officer to die from the coronavirus, which has claimed the lives of 984 South Carolinians as of Tuesday. He is survived by his wife of 37 years, two adult children and grandchildren, CPD said in a press release.
“Officer Robert ‘Bob’ Hall exemplified everything that is expected out of a 21st Century police officer – service before self, professionalism, integrity, and compassion,” Holbrook said in a statement. “MPO Hall was well-known within the City of Columbia’s business and entertainment districts, having played an integral part in event planning and security. MPO Hall served with distinction and honor for more than three decades and has left a lasting legacy at the Columbia Police Department. He will be greatly missed. I ask for everyone’s continued prayers for Bob’s family and the CPD family.”
Hall, originally from Cayce, joined the CPD in 1985 and retired briefly in 2008 before returning to the force, according to the press release. He was part of the department’s Special Events Unit, under the Special Operations Bureau, and worked on traffic control and security during special events including parades, marathons and festivals.
“The lives and dedication of our Columbia Police officers are always a direct indication of their devotion to providing for the safety of our Columbia communities, and now even more so as these incredible public servants serve on the front lines during the COVID-19 health crisis,” Mayor Steve Benjamin said in a statement. “I want to thank Officer Robert Hall for his years of service committed to the protection and well-being of our City, and express my deepest wishes for consolation to his fellow officers and his family, and know his presence will be missed.”
As South Carolina nears 1,000 deaths from COVID, the Department of Health and Environmental Control continues to report a surge in total confirmed cases. Tuesday marked the second-biggest single-day increase in cases since the coronavirus pandemic began in March, and there have now been more than 60,000 confirmed cases.
The state has been identified as a hot spot for virus activity, and public health officials have expressed alarm at the relative lack of residents wearing face masks and practicing social distancing, leading many cities and counties to pass ordinances requiring masks in public.
This story was originally published July 14, 2020 at 5:40 PM.
