Patrolman Charles Alvin Snider

I only knew officer Snider as the “old guy on King St.” He, nevertheless, had a major impact on my life. The day after he was killed, and 3 days after our twin boys were born, I was standing in the Sears parking lot with two other officers on night shift, discussing the senseless murder which occurred 2 blocks away, when someone took a shot at us. We yelled at a student walking in front of the College of Charleston and the suspect popped up from behind a car and took off running. We pursued and he quickly was cornered and arrested. Before this, I had often pondered whether or not I could use my weapon in the line of duty. I reasoned that, if necessary to preserve life, I could. Very noble of me. In the adrenaline pumped exhilaration and painful anger of losing a fellow officer; I came painfully close to shooting that kid in the back as he fled. The only think preventing me was my Corporal was in front of me in the line of fire as we ran. I thank God that the suspect tried to get into a locked building and surrendered instead of running down the street; the outcome would likely have been very different. It turned out to be a drunk student breaking into a friend’s car to get something he left in it. The ‘gunshot’ was when he broke out a window. In that moment my moral high ground of how and when I might use my weapon was obliterated. Through the Grace of God, I didn’t shoot that kid, but in that angry, fearful moment, I not only could, I wanted to shoot. I was not and am not the good guy I thought I was at that time. I was a lost sinner, and came face to face of the evil I was capable of doing. I needed a Savior and found Him. I thank God that He used this senseless, tragic murder to help lead me to the Cross.

Jim Graham (ex-patrolman)
Charleston PD

September 28, 2019