The Toronto and Canadian police community are mourning the loss of Constable Henry Snedden who was shot dead by a deranged man in Etobicoke 43 years ago today.

Snedden and his partner, Donald Chadbold, responded on September 15, 1978 to what they thought was a domestic dispute on Mooreshead Drive, near the Etobicoke Civic Centre, in the Renforth Drive and Burnhamthorpe Road area.

“Upon arriving at the disturbance, the officers found two groups of people standing outside 16 and 18 Mooreshead,” according to police records. The officers separated.

Suddenly a man, Arthur Hayden Packwood, began struggling with Constable Snedden, according to documents.

Chadbolt rushed to his partner’s aid. Momentarily the two officers appeared to have the situation under control, police said.

“They didn’t realize Packwood had managed to get Snedden’s service revolver out of his holster,” according to police. “Shots rang out. Constable Snedden was dead before reaching Queensway General Hospital.”

“Snedden’s partner cradled him, trying to keep the veteran alive,” records show. It was too late.

The young officer was shot twice in the chest by Packwood, 27, on the front steps of the home with his own gun.

He had been on the force for just over two years.

Packwood, who had a mental illness and believed he was acting in self-defence, was eventually found not guilty of murder, due to insanity.

Another officer suffered serious injuries when he crashed his motorcycle rushing to the scene to help his ailing brothers.

His death, along with other officers who pass, are marked yearly by their colleagues.