Delaware State Police have released a final update in the line-of-duty death investigation of Cpl. 1 Matthew T. “Ty” Snook, confirming the trooper was the victim of a deliberate, targeted ambush inside the Wilmington-area Division of Motor Vehicles office.
The shooting happened on December 23, 2025, at the Karen L. Johnson DMV facility at 2230 Hessler Boulevard in New Castle, where Snook was working an overtime assignment. Investigators said the suspect, identified as Rahman Rose, entered the building as a customer before returning and attacking Snook without warning.
According to state police, Snook was stationed near the reception area when Rose opened fire. Even after being struck, Snook managed to push a DMV employee out of harm’s way and told the employee to run, a lifesaving act that authorities credited as preventing additional victims.
Police said Rose continued to fire as law enforcement officers converged on the building. Investigators also stated that civilians were able to leave the facility during the incident, while the suspect remained focused on engaging officers.
A New Castle County police officer outside the building fired through a window, striking Rose. Rose was transported to a hospital, where he later died. Snook was also rushed to the hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries.
In their final investigative update, Delaware State Police said evidence supports the conclusion that the attack was specifically directed at law enforcement. Detectives found no prior relationship, dispute, or direct interaction between Rose and Snook. While Rose had some limited contact with law enforcement in the year before the shooting, investigators said none of those contacts were criminal in nature, and none involved Snook.
State police also detailed Rose’s reported mindset leading up to the ambush. Investigators said Rose expressed beliefs that he was being targeted and surveilled by police and referenced “gang stalking,” a term associated with a perceived pattern of harassment by authorities. Detectives said they found no evidence Rose acted with any group or co-conspirators.
Snook, a 10-year veteran of the Delaware State Police, is being remembered across the state as a dedicated trooper and a protector who put others first when it mattered most.
The Delaware State Troopers Association set up a HelpAHero Fundraiser to financially support Snook’s family.
Field Lessons are offered strictly as general, industry-standard reminders drawn from common safety practices and typical policy considerations. They are not based on any inside knowledge of this specific incident, do not presume what actions were taken, and should not be interpreted as commentary on the decisions made at the scene.
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Treat “soft posts” like lobbies, public service counters, and reception areas as real threat environments, not low-risk assignments. If the business has hired security, there is a reason.
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Assume attacks can begin with zero warning and no verbal prelude, especially in public-facing facilities.
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Ambushes are difficult to predict, but behavior cues will be present, so observation at all times is key.
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Leaders should review security staffing, visibility, and response plans at public service sites where officers routinely work overtime posts.
Dr. Travis Yates has pioneered a behavioral risk framework to help officers and leaders identify, assess, and articulate risk in rapidly evolving, uncertain situations. Find out more about the FOCUS Behavioral Risk Framework.
