A Delaware State Police trooper was deliberately targeted and killed in a shocking ambush at a Department of Motor Vehicles office, with investigators revealing the gunman held a paranoid belief that law enforcement was systematically harassing him.
The Fatal Ambush at the DMV
On 23 December, Corporal Matthew Snook, a ten-year veteran known to colleagues as "Ty," was working an overtime shift at the reception desk of the New Castle DMV. According to state police, 44-year-old Rahman Rose entered the building as a customer, approached the officer from behind, and shot him with a handgun.
In a final update released on Friday 16 January 2026, investigators stated that Rose had initially visited the DMV in the morning, leaving shortly after. He returned several hours later to carry out the attack. During the shooting, Cpl. Snook was shot multiple times but managed to shield a DMV employee from harm.
Attacker's Belief in 'Gang Stalking' and Police Harassment
Detectives from the state's homicide unit concluded the assault was a "deliberate and targeted attack on law enforcement." Their investigation found that Rahman Rose had told others he believed police were monitoring and targeting him.
He had also posted on social media about being a victim of "gang stalking," a term authorities described as a delusional belief that one is under persistent surveillance and harassment by government entities or organised groups. Despite these beliefs, Rose had no prior criminal allegations or arrests in Delaware in the year before the shooting, and none of his limited contact with law enforcement involved Cpl. Snook.
Aftermath and a Force in Mourning
Following the attack, Rose allowed other customers to leave the DMV but fired multiple rounds at law enforcement officers as they approached the building. A New Castle county police officer shot Rose through a window from outside, and the gunman later died in hospital.
Rose, who had previously lived in Connecticut, was residing in Wilmington, Delaware, without a permanent address at the time. The Delaware State Police paid tribute to Cpl. Snook, stating: "Ty's courageous act of strength and sacrifice reflected the core values he lived by every day - protecting others with bravery, selflessness and steady integrity."
