IN MEMORIUM

Lance Corporal Dana Tate, Sr. and Corporal Dyke "A.J." Coursen were shot and killed after responding to a domestic disturbance call on Riley Road, in Burton, South Carolina at approximately 1600 hours on Tuesday, January 8, 2002. A female had called the Sheriff's Office and complained about her and her young child being held against their will by her boyfriend. While the deputies were investigating, they were shot by the boyfriend, who was armed with a semi-automatic rifle and was hiding inside a bedroom closet. Deputy Coursen was killed, but Deputy Tate was able to shoot and wound the suspect before he died. The suspect was later taken into custody after a search. The suspect was sentenced to death in 2003.

Lance Corporal Tate was a retired U.S. Navy veteran and had been a member of the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office for over four years.

He is survived by his family, wife Marie; children Dayna K., Dana Jr., Rashauna, and Denise; parents Don and Thelma; brothers Don E. and his wife Sharon; Steven and his wife Jerry; grandchildren; mother-in-law Denise; father-in-law Roland; brother-in-law Reginald; sister-in-law Marlyne; nieces and nephews; co-workers; family and friends; those who he had served with him during his 20 year Navy military and four year law enforcement careers and his dogs Max and Axel.