Late on the night of October 20, as a St. Louis County police cruiser carted a bloodied officer to the hospital, news of his shooting swept across the department. Police Chief Jon Belmar visited the hospital that night, checking on his wounded officer and speaking to the other cops who'd gathered there. In the hours that followed, he would talk to more police from the shooting scene and let them know the officer would be alright, despite the bullet holes.
It wasn't fear or even anger that the chief noted in their reaction.
"There was just an overwhelming sense of relief," Belmar said later at a news conference.
All things considered, the shooting could have been far worse, as the police officers were well aware.
They had buried Officer Blake Snyder just a week before.…