Delawareans and law enforcement from around the country came together Monday to mourn Delaware State Police Cpl. Matthew “Ty” Snook, who died Dec. 23 at a Wilmington DMV shooting.
State police reported after being shot, Snook pushed a DMV employee out of the way before he was shot a second time.
Snook’s wife Lauren said the all-day service was not just about loss, but who people choose to be after loss.
“I stand here as a wife, as a mother and as the voice for a man who wanted what everyone here wants – to come home at the end of the day,” Snook said. “Before anything else, I will speak plainly about why we are here. Ty was ambushed. Ty was shot from behind. He never had a chance to see what was coming. That truth is painful, but we will not soften it. And we will not sensationalize it because evil does not get the final word, and we cannot let it win.”
Gov. Matt Meyer was among those who remembered Snook and his service.
“And he trained more troopers than nearly any of his peers, leaving a legacy that will keep Delaware communities safer for generations to come,” Meyer said. “To his family, Cpl. Snook was a loving and selfless son, a brother, an uncle, a friend, most of all, a husband and a father. To all of us, he is a hero.”
Cpl. Snook’s siblings also spoke. His brother, Josh, said it took him two weeks to find the right words to describe his brother, lauding him for being the best hype man, big brother and role model.
“I didn't want to waste time talking about facts that you can find of Ty on Google, like being a state champion, just countless,” Josh Snook said. “I wanted to spend some time talking about Ty's morals, how he valued his family, and the experience of being his younger brother… all Ty wanted to be was the best big brother, and he well exceeded that goal. All I wanted to be was like him.”
Delaware’s Department of Safety and Homeland Security Secretary Joshua Bushweller was among those who spoke at Monday's celebration at UD’s Bob Carpenter Center – at one point addressing Snook’s one-year-old daughter.
“Know this, Letty,” Bushweller said. “Your daddy was a hero. Your daddy was a hero, not only in the way he gave his life, but in the way that he lived it every single day. Corporal Snook embodied the very best traditions of the Delaware State Police. For a decade, he put the uniform on. He moved towards danger while others sought safety.”
Bushweller added the state will continue to support the Snook family in the days ahead.
Lauren Snook said she will do everything in her power to make her husband’s sacrifice meaningful and fight for change when it’s needed.
“I will speak when it is uncomfortable,” Lauren Snook said. “I will stand with the women who carry that same weight, praying that no more of us have to stand where I am standing today. My baby did not die in vain.”
The Delaware State Police established a fund to support the Snook family. That can be found at this link. They ask for donations in lieu of flowers or other gifts.
