At a Glance
- Rahman Rose, 44, stalked a Delaware DMV for hours before fatally shooting Corporal Grade One Matthew T. “Ty” Snook, 34, on Dec. 23, 2025.
- Rose returned to the lobby, obtained a queue ticket, then fired over the glass partition at 2 p.m., killing Snook while the trooper shielded a DMV employee.
- Investigators say Rose posted anti-police rants online, believed he was “gang-stalked” by cops, and waited inside to ambush responding officers.
Why it matters: The final report confirms Delaware’s first targeted killing of an on-duty trooper inside a state facility and shows how online paranoia turned into calculated murder.
A lone gunman who told friends he feared police were tracking him carried out a “deliberate and targeted attack” inside a Delaware DMV, fatally shooting a state trooper who died protecting a civilian worker before the assailant was killed by a responding officer, authorities announced Friday.
The Attack
Rahman Rose, 44, entered the Karen L. Johnson DMV on Hessler Boulevard in New Castle shortly after 11:30 a.m. on Dec. 23, 2025, sat in the driver-services area, then left without speaking to anyone, investigators said. He returned shortly before 2 p.m., took a queue ticket from the welcome desk where Corporal Grade One Matthew T. “Ty” Snook, 34, was stationed with a DMV employee, and again sat down.
Three minutes later Rose stepped behind Snook, produced a handgun and opened fire over the partition, striking the trooper multiple times. Despite his wounds, Snook pushed the DMV worker out of the line of fire and was shot again, officials said. Rose allowed several customers to flee, then apparently waited for police while firing only at arriving officers.
At 2:07 p.m. a New Castle County officer shot Rose through an exterior window. Both men were pronounced dead at the hospital.
A second trooper suffered non-life-threatening injuries. A 40-year-old woman was treated for minor, non-gunshot injuries, and a 35-year-old woman declined transport after experiencing shortness of breath.
Shooter’s Mindset
Rose, who had lived in Connecticut and recently in Wilmington, told acquaintances he believed law enforcement was targeting him and that “gang stalking” by government agents was constant, detectives said. His social-media feeds contained anti-police content, and he had no prior criminal contact with Delaware State Police-nor any prior interaction with Snook-before the ambush.
Investigators found no evidence Rose conspired with anyone; they classified the homicide as a solo, ideologically driven strike on uniformed officers.
Remembering the Trooper
Delaware State Police described Snook as “an exemplary Trooper and a devoted father, husband, son, brother and friend.”
“Ty’s courageous act of strength and sacrifice reflected the core values he lived by every day-protecting others with bravery, selflessness, and steadfast integrity,” the agency spokesperson wrote.
Support for Victims
Anyone who witnessed the shooting or lost a loved one to sudden violence can contact the Delaware State Police Victim Services Unit at 1-800-VICTIM-1 or email [email protected].
