Officer James Robert Snedigar was killed during a SWAT operation on April 16, 1999. Snedigar, a 38-year-old Chandler police officer with five years on the force, was serving as the point man when his team breached an apartment at 1100 N. Priest Drive. The entry followed a reported jewelry store robbery in nearby Tempe and the suspects’ flight to that Chandler apartment.

Stun grenades were used before the breach. As officers entered, they came under immediate gunfire and Snedigar was struck in the face; the wound proved fatal despite body armor. Officers returned fire, killing one of the suspects, who was reported to be wearing a bulletproof vest, and arresting the other two. Snedigar was the first Chandler police officer killed in the line of duty.

Does anyone have memories of Officer Snedigar or information about the incident that hasn’t been shared publicly?