Delaware State Police Cpl. Matthew "Ty" Snook, a 10-year veteran, was killed at a DMV office after pushing another person to safety. The Tunnel to Towers Foundation announced it will pay off Snook’s mortgage for his wife, Lauren, and their 1-year-old daughter and aims to complete the payoff by Jan. 5, the day of the funeral. Foundation CEO Frank Siller described Snook as a hero and pledged long-term support, including connecting the family with other survivors in the Tunnel to Towers community.
Tunnel to Towers Pledges to Pay Off Mortgage of Delaware Trooper Killed While Shielding Another
This photo provided by the Delaware State Police in December 2025 shows Cpl. Matthew Snook, a state trooper who was fatally shot at a DMV office near Wilmington, Del.
Delaware State Police Cpl. Matthew "Ty" Snook, a 10-year veteran, was fatally shot at a Department of Motor Vehicles office while working an overtime shift two days before Christmas. Authorities say Snook pushed another person to safety and urged them to run before the attacker shot him a second time. The gunman was later found dead, and officials said there was no ongoing threat.
Tunnel to Towers Steps In
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation, a national nonprofit founded by Frank Siller after his brother died on 9/11, announced it will pay off Snook’s mortgage for his wife, Lauren, and their 1-year-old daughter. Siller described Snook’s actions as selfless and heroic, and said the foundation aims to provide long-term support to the family, not just immediate assistance.
A state trooper was killed during a shooting incident at a Delaware DMV on Dec. 23, according to officials.
“He’s a hero,” Siller said, recounting how Snook shielded another person and was shot in what a broadcaster described as an "execution-style" killing.
Siller told Fox & Friends the foundation intends to have the mortgage cleared by Jan. 5, the date of Snook’s funeral service. He said Tunnel to Towers has set a goal of paying off 343 mortgages next year in commemoration of the 343 firefighters who died on 9/11, and he called Snook’s payoff “the first one.”
Community and Long-Term Support
As part of the outreach, Siller said he will visit Lauren Snook to offer personal condolences and reassurance that “America cares.” The foundation also plans to connect the Snook family with other survivors supported by the charity, including a widow whose husband was killed in Afghanistan, to welcome them into the Tunnel to Towers community.
What Officials Confirmed: The shooting at the DMV resulted in the death of the trooper and the gunman; law enforcement reported there was no continuing threat to the public.
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