In the late hours of a Friday night in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, the life of 25-year-old Claud Snider, a dedicated police officer, was tragically cut short. On September 30, 1932, Officer Snider and his partner, Garland Tanner, had just completed their security duties at a football game when they were thrust into a volatile and ultimately fatal confrontation.
The officers responded to a distress call from a female University of Alabama student who reported that a man was holding her boyfriend at gunpoint near Comer Hall on the university campus, demanding a mere $2.00 for his release.
Upon their arrival, the officers encountered a tense scene with the armed man holding his pistol to the student's head. A close-range gunfight erupted between the officers and the assailant. During the exchange of gunfire, Officer Snider was struck in the left temple and died at the scene. His partner, Officer Tanner, sustained gunshot wounds to his jaw and neck but managed to survive.
The suspect in the assault and murder of Officer Snider was also shot during the intense shootout. He was struck in the abdomen by the officers' return fire and succumbed to his injuries just 30 feet away from where Officer Snider fell. The student who had been taken hostage was not physically harmed during the incident. Following the deadly encounter, no arrests were made as the sole suspect was killed at the scene. Officer Snider was survived by his wife and was laid to rest in the cemetery at Flatwoods Baptist Church.
