On November 1, 2024, at approximately 1327 hours, Officer Brent Smith and Corporal Brent Keyser were dispatched to 400 block of Ave. K for a shots-fired incident.  Both Officers arrived on Ave. K to find several shots into an occupied structure and multiple assailants having fled the scene.  Smith and Keyser immediately secured the scene and began the search for the shooters.  A tipster provided information on the possible location of the assailants and West Hempfield Officer Cameron Powers helped contain the suspects at an address on the 200 block of South Fourth St.  Despite limited staffing and two separate incident scenes, Officer Smith and Cpl. Keyser were able to control the crime scenes, investigate the incident, identify the actors, and arrest them.  Upon execution of a search warrant, Officers recovered three handguns and other evidence. Of the three handguns, one was stolen out of Dauphin County, and another was a “ghost” gun.  Based on the evidence from the investigation, Officer Smith charged three suspects for the shooting incident.

It was through the hard work and determination of Officer Smith and Cpl. Keyser that this investigation was brought to a swift and successful conclusion. The following agencies assisted Columbia Borough Police: Lancaster County Drug Task Force, West Hempfield Twp. Police Department, Manor Twp. Police Department, Susquehanna Regional Police Department, Mt. Joy Borough Police Department. Northwest Regional Police Department, Millersville University Police Department, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, Hellam Twp. Police Department, Lower Windsor Twp. Police Department, and the Springettsbury Twp. Police Department.

Officer Brent Smith and Corporal Brent Keyser were recognized at the Columbia Borough Council meeting on Tuesday, March 11, 2025.