Funeral held for fallen Delaware State Police Corporal Matthew "Ty" Snook

NEWARK, Del. (WPVI) -- Thousands of mourners, fellow law enforcement officers and state leaders gathered Monday to honor Delaware State Police Cpl. Matthew "Ty" Snook, remembering him as a devoted husband, father and trooper whose legacy endures through service and sacrifice.

It has been nearly two weeks since Snook, 34, was killed while working an overtime shift at the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles office in Minquadale.

His Celebration of Life was held at the University of Delaware's Bob Carpenter Center, where the arena was filled with uniformed officers from across the region, family members, friends and members of the public.

RELATED: Delaware State Police trooper killed in DMV shooting identified as Cpl. Matthew T. Snook

Snook's wife, Lauren, reflected on her husband's plans for the future and the impact he leaves behind.

"He planned to come home, he planned a life, and when his life was taken, his legacy was not," she said. "It lives in the way he loved and protected."

"Ty was not defined by how he died, but by how he lived, how he loved," she added, saying her husband "was ambushed... he never got a chance to see what was coming."

Gov. Matthew Meyer called Snook's death a loss felt across the state.

"Thank you for your strength and courage in these hardest of days," Meyer said, addressing the Snook family.

Meyer said Snook's actions saved lives. "Today, right now as I speak to you, there are Delawareans who are alive, who are breathing, who are living, because Ty lived and because he served."

The governor also spoke about Snook's path to law enforcement.

"Ty became a wrestler, he worked hard, he was pre-med, he could have done anything. He chose to be a trooper," Meyer said. He added that Snook "trained more troopers than nearly any of his peers."

RELATED: Gunman identified in fatal shooting of Delaware State Police trooper at DMV facility

Joshua Bushweller, secretary of the Department of Safety and Homeland Security, addressed Snook's family directly.

"Your daddy was a hero. Not only in the way he gave his life but in the way he lived it every single day," Bushweller said. Turning to Snook's wife, he added, "Lauren, your husband was a guardian... today we return him to your care. But his spirit will forever stay with the Delaware State Police."

Delaware State Police Superintendent Col. William D. Crotty pledged continued support to Snook's family.

"To Lauren and Letty, we stand as your protectors and champions," Crotty said. "Ty Snook lived a life of service, life and purpose. He is our brother, he is our teammate and he will always be a part of the DSP family."

Capt. Kerry Reinbold, commander of Troop 6, described Snook as both a highly capable trooper and a deeply compassionate person.

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"Ty was a father, husband, brother, son, gym rat, wrestler, lifelong mediator between his two siblings," Reinbold said. He noted Snook enjoyed picking up extra shifts at the DMV.

"He made everyone he encountered feel welcomed and loved and he usually didn't have to say a word," Reinbold said. "He just made people feel better about themselves."

Reinbold said that from 2018 until the end of his watch, Snook trained more than 20 recruits.

He added that Snook's daughter would always be supported by the department. "700-plus aunts and uncles who will always make sure she knows that the Delaware State Police is her family. Birthdays, graduations, breakups, even a marriage. We will be there," Reinbold said.

Snook's brother, Josh Snook, spoke about serving alongside him.

"The thing that I loved most about being a trooper is that I got to serve with my brother," he said. "We will forever be missing the best member of our little family."

Josh Snook said becoming a father brought his brother immense pride. "Never had I seen my brother smile as much or be as proud as when he became a father," he said. "I really wish I could have witnessed him continue raising her."

He promised the family would carry on his role.

"You can leave it to us to love, protect and guide Letty the same way you did for us," he said.

Snook, a Hockessin native, graduated from St. Mark's High School and the University of Maryland, where he was a member of the wrestling team. Though he was pre-med, he chose to pursue law enforcement after a ride-along. He served with the Delaware State Police for 10 years and was assigned to Troop 6.

Snook was killed two days before Christmas when a gunman approached him while he was seated at the reception desk of the Minquadale DMV. After being shot, authorities said Snook pushed a DMV employee out of harm's way as the suspect continued firing. A New Castle County police officer later shot and killed the suspect.

A somber procession escorted Snook's casket through the streets of Delaware before and after the service, with troopers saluting as the honor guard carried him into and out of the arena. Following the ceremony, Snook was taken to an undisclosed location for a private burial.

"Our mission is one of love," Reinbold said. "It's about showing the world - and more importantly that little girl - what kind of man Ty Snook was."