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Community mourns deputy killed while serving eviction notice
The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office is mourning Deputy Terri Sweeting-Mashkow, who was shot and killed Friday while serving an eviction notice, authorities said. Sweeting-Mashkow, a 25-year veteran of the department, is being remembered as a dedicated deputy, loving wife, and loyal friend.
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla. - An Indian River County Sheriff's Office deputy was shot and killed Friday morning while serving an eviction notice at the home in Florida, officials said. A second deputy and a locksmith were also shot after a suspect began firing at random inside the home, Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers said.
The suspect was shot several times by authorities and taken to the hospital in critical condition where he later died, according to deputies.
Sheriff: "What an awful day."
What we know:
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Indian River County Sheriff's Office deputy killed: News update
A deputy with the Indian River County Sheriff's Office was shot and killed Friday morning while serving an eviction notice. A second deputy was also shot. A locksmith was also shot and taken to the hospital in critical condition. The suspect was also shot multiple times and taken to the hospital in critical condition. Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers provides an update.
The shooting occurred at Bermuda Club – a gated community in Vero Beach, Florida – along AIA – when deputies were serving an eviction. Officials said a mom was evicting her son from the home.
As the three deputies and a locksmith were in the entranceway of the home, the suspect, identified as Michael Halberstam, grabbed a gun and began shooting indiscriminately.
Two deputies were hit. Deputy Terri Mashkow, 47, who spent 25 years with the agency, was killed – the second line of duty death in the sheriff's office's 100-year history. The other deputy was shot in the shoulder and is expected to recover.
A third deputy was not hurt, but did fire his weapon at the suspect, officials said.
A locksmith – who has not been named – was shot and taken to the hospital in critical condition.
The mom was on scene, but outside the home during the eviction, which is standard, the sheriff said.
Indian River Sheriff Flowers said he had worked with Deputy Mashkow for several years.
She "gave the ultimate sacrifice today and was killed in the line of duty," Flowers said. He remembered her as an "amazing deputy."
The Sheriff's Office said Deputy Sweeting-Mashkow has been posthumously promoted to Sergeant following the shooting.
Deputy Terri Mashkow, 47, was killed in a Nov. 21 shooting that occurred when deputies served an eviction notice at a Vero Beach home.
Who is Terri Mashkow?
Terri Mashkow started her career with the Indian River County Sheriff's Office as a dispatcher 25 years ago. In 2023, she moved to the legal process civil unit. It's not clear at this time if Mashkow fired her weapon.
"I’m absolutely heartbroken. I’ve worked my entire career with Terri," Flowers said.
He called Mashkow's family to tell them about her death.
Mashkow was described as an "amazing deputy" with a "beautiful heart."
"Our team will feel this forever. … She will be missed," he said.
What do we know about the suspect?
The sheriff's office received seven calls for service to Halberstam residence this month, Flowers said. Before this month, they had never heard from him. Most of the calls were from Halberstam's mom – about her son, the sheriff said.
Flowers said Halberstam's was not initially on their radar.
"This was a standard call for service," Flowers said. "…This was an everyday call for eviction. The regular duties that our deputies bravely do every day."
However, based on information from the sheriff's office's Real-Time Crime Center, Halberstam reportedly had posted negative comments about the sheriff’s office. He was also recently fired and wrote negative comments about his employer on social media, Flowers said.
He has a 2006 narcotics charge and a 2015 misdemeanor assault charge – both out of Virginia.
Halberstam is currently in critical condition and in surgery, Flowers reported.
Florida officials respond
In Jacksonville, Florida, Attorney General James Uthmeier started a Nov. 21 press conference with a moment of silence for the "officers that were in the line of duty," he said Nov. 21. "These guys put their lives on the line every single day to keep us safe."
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Gov. Ron DeSantis shares update on deputy-involved shooting
Three law enforcement officers have been shot in Indian River County, Gov. Ron DeSantis said before a news conference in Crystal River.
While Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke in Crystal River, he said the situation in Indian River County is being closely monitored.
"We had three officers that had been shot, a suspect. There's just a lot going on," DeSantis said.
The Marion County Sheriff's Office extended their thoughts and prayers to the Indian River County Sheriff's Office.
"We want to extend our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to the Indian River County Sheriff's Office and to the family of Deputy Terri Mashkow, who tragically lost her life in the line of duty this morning," MCSO said in a statement. "We stand with our law enforcement family as we honor her service and sacrifice."
The Source: This information was sourced from Florida Attorney General James Uthemeier, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers.