A gunman who shot and killed a Florida sheriff's deputy during the serving of an eviction notice has died from injuries sustained when officers returned fire, authorities confirmed.
A Fatal Confrontation
The incident unfolded on Friday when two Indian River County deputies and a locksmith arrived at a property near Vero Beach. They were there to carry out an eviction notice against Michael Halberstam, 37, who was being evicted from the home by his own mother.
Officials stated that Halberstam opened fire on the group, leading to a violent confrontation. Deputy Terri Sweeting-Mashkow was killed in the attack. A second deputy suffered a shoulder injury and is now recovering. The locksmith, who has not been publicly identified, was shot and left in a critical condition, requiring surgery.
Officers at the scene returned fire, striking Halberstam multiple times. The county's sheriff's department announced online that Halberstam succumbed to his injuries on Saturday afternoon.
A Call With Unexpected Danger
Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers revealed at a news conference that his office had received seven calls from the home in the past month, with almost all of them coming from the mother concerning her son.
Despite this history, Sheriff Flowers stated that deputies had no reason to anticipate trouble. "This was a standard call for service," he said, adding that there was nothing in Halberstam's record that would have legally prevented him from possessing a weapon.
A Force in Mourning
The sheriff's office is reeling from the loss of Deputy Sweeting-Mashkow, a 25-year veteran of the force. Sheriff Flowers grew emotional as he paid tribute, describing how he had worked alongside the deputy for his entire career.
"I can tell you that our team will feel this forever," Flowers said. In a posthumous honour, Terri Sweeting-Mashkow was promoted to the rank of sergeant on Saturday.
