Columbia’s Molly Bowden blood drive is underway at area church

Today is your opportunity to donate blood in memory of a Columbia police officer who was killed in the line of duty in 2005.

The Officer Molly Bowden Memorial Blood drive is today from 10 am until 5 pm at Columbia’s Grace Bible church on Blue Ridge road. Molly Bowden was 26 years old when she was shot to death while conducting a routine traffic stop on January 10, 2005 near Nifong and Forum. Prosecutors say Officer Bowden was shot three times after pulling over Columbia College student Richard Evans. Evans drove off after the shooting and shot CPD officer Curtis Brown in the arm before Evans committed suicide.

Bowden was the first Columbia Police officer killed in the line of duty. She was a Hickman high school graduate and a 2002 Columbia College graduate.