Sydney Carter Snow Jr., a 29-year-old White male, was a Milwaukee Police Department officer who was killed in the line of duty on January 30, 1982. Snow had served with the department for approximately six years after being appointed in October 1975. On the night of his death, he and fellow Officer James L. Zastrow were working in plainclothes on what Milwaukee police described as the tavern car, an assignment that involved checking licenses at neighborhood taverns and other businesses.
At approximately 8:40 p.m., Snow and Zastrow entered Sonny's Pool Hall at 1658 W. Hopkins Street in Milwaukee. They were there to investigate a licensing violation involving the establishment and to serve a civil warrant on the pool hall's operator, Melvin Smith. Snow spoke with Smith about the license issue and gave him a referral directing him to appear at the Milwaukee City Attorney's Office on February 4, 1982. At the same time, Zastrow informed Smith that he was wanted on a warrant and placed him under arrest.
Smith resisted being taken into custody, telling the officers that they were not going to take him anywhere. During the confrontation, Zastrow noticed that Smith had a hand inside his jacket pocket and ordered him to remove it. Smith refused. When Zastrow attempted to take hold of him, Smith pulled his right hand from the pocket and produced a. 25-caliber semiautomatic handgun. Zastrow immediately tried to grab Smith and control the weapon, but Smith was able to fire in Snow's direction.
A violent struggle followed inside the close confines of the pool hall. Smith continued firing his handgun as the officers fought to stop him. Despite being under fire, Snow managed to draw his own weapon and return fire, striking Smith in the left armpit. Zastrow also fired during the struggle and struck Smith in the head with a fatal gunshot. Smith died as a result of the officers' return fire.
Snow suffered a fatal gunshot wound during the encounter. Milwaukee Police Department records noted that investigators could not determine with certainty whether Snow had been struck by Smith's first shot and then continued into the struggle to assist his partner, or whether he received the fatal wound during the ensuing fight. What was clear was that Snow continued to engage the armed suspect while the confrontation was unfolding and that he was able to return fire before succumbing to his injuries.
Because Melvin Smith was shot and killed during the incident, there was no subsequent arrest, criminal prosecution, trial, or conviction in connection with Snow's killing. Smith was identified as the armed suspect responsible for firing at Snow, while Officer Zastrow's return fire ended the confrontation.
Snow was later awarded a posthumous Class "A" Citation, described by the Milwaukee Police Department as the highest honor that could be bestowed upon a member of the department. Zastrow received a Class "C" Citation for his actions during the gun battle. Snow left behind his wife and his parents, and his death has continued to be commemorated by the Milwaukee Police Department as the death of an officer killed while performing his duties.
