Richmond Police Department, Virginia
End of Watch Friday, February 5, 1937
Add to My HeroesWilliam Stephen Snead
Patrolman William Snead was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man who was breaking into a jewelry store at 120 East Broad Street.
He had just completed his shift and was walking along the street when he encountered a man who had just broken the front window of the store with a hammer. As Patrolman Snead attempted to arrest him, the man fatally struck him on the head with the hammer, fracturing his skull.
The subject then took Patrolman Snead's service weapon and shot him in the jaw before fleeing. A citizen who witnessed the incident followed the man and alerted other officers. The man was shot and killed while resisting arrest.
Patrolman Snead had served with the Richmond Police Department for 17 years. He was survived by his wife and two children.
Bio
- Age 45
- Tour 17 years
- Badge Not available
Incident Details
- Cause Assault
- Weapon Blunt object; Hammer
- Offender Shot and killed
Most Recent Reflection
View all 9 ReflectionsI am writing this for my mother, Audrey V. Hill. Officer Snead was her maternal uncle. Mama will turn 93 this July. I have heard the story of his death as I was growing up and Mama told me the story again today so I decided to do some web browsing. She remembers Uncle Stephen, as she called him, giving her a dollar on her 6th birthday. She also remembers her mother crying when her brother was killed. Mama looked at his picture and said, "Yes, that is my Uncle Stephen."
Rhiannon Willetts
May 14, 2019
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