INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A 25-year sheriff’s veteran deputy was fatally shot Friday morning after she and other officers attempted to serve an eviction at a residence in the Bermuda Club. The deputy, identified as Terri Sweeting-Mashkow, was 47 years old.
Sheriff Eric Flowers said he was heartbroken following the deadly shooting. Flowers said he worked his entire career with Sweeting-Mashkow, along with other longtime deputies.
“What an awful day, six days before Thanksgiving. This is the second line of duty death in this 100 years of the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office,” Flowers said while holding back tears. “Mashkow made the ultimate sacrifice today and was killed in the line of duty inside that residence. I had to call her mom today…let her husband know. That’s absolutely the worst part of being a law enforcement leader.”
Another deputy, Tino Arizpe, was shot in the shoulder and was recovering at HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce. The suspect, identified as 37-year-old Michael Halberstam, along with a locksmith, were both listed in critical condition and in surgery at Lawnwood, Flowers said.
The locksmith’s identity was not publicly released.
Flowers updated the media about the shooting during a news conference held at the Indian River Shores town chambers. The eviction-turned-shooting prompted the response of several law enforcement agencies across the region, including Brevard County.
“This was a standard call for service. This is the everyday call for an eviction. The regular duties that our deputies do bravely every day,” Flowers said. “Today, Deputy Mashkow gave her life for this community.”
Three Indian River County sheriff’s deputies, along with the locksmith, went to the home about 8:42 a.m. Friday, Nov. 21, to serve the eviction in the 1100 block of Governors Way in the Bermuda Club. The gated, beachside community is located north of Indian River Shores, just west of State Road A1A and less than a mile south of Disney’s Vero Beach Resort.
Flowers said the mother was evicting her son, Halberstam. Minutes later…at 8:57 a.m., gunshots blasted inside the residence.
The mother was standing outside of the home when the shooting occurred, Flowers said.
“While (the deputies) were in the entry way – having just entered the home – Halberstam retrieved a weapon and began indiscriminately firing at our deputies on scene,” Flowers said. “It’s a terrible scene out there.”
Arizpe, who was shot in the shoulder, ran to the garage, Flowers said. Sweeting-Mashkow was pronounced dead at the scene.
Another sheriff’s deputy – identified as Sgt. Gary Farless – who was on scene was not injured.
Flowers said deputies Arizpe and Farless exchanged gunfire with Halberstam. It was unclear if Sweeting-Mashkow also fired.
“Our deputies did fire at him and he was struck multiple times,” Flowers said.
The type of gun used in the shooting was not released. It was unclear if deputies recovered the firearm.
Deputies blocked off the roadway in the area near the home.
Sweeting-Mashkow began her career at the sheriff’s office as a dispatcher, Flowers said. Then, she worked road patrol for 20 years. In 2023, Sweeting-Mashkow was moved to the sheriff’s legal process civil unit.
Flowers said Halberstam has a 2006 narcotics charge and a 2015 misdemeanor assault charge both out of Virginia. It was unclear if Halberstam had previous charges of gun violence.
Flowers said deputies had seven calls to the home in November. It was not immediately known why the mother wanted to evict Halberstam.
“Almost all of (the calls) were from the mother calling about him and her decision to ultimately evict him,” Flowers said.
Flowers said the sheriff’s office Real Time Crime Center was working to find more information about Halberstam.
“(Deputies) identified strange posts on social media. He was fired from UPS. He made terrible comments about them. He posted negative (comments) about the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office on his Facebook page, ” Flowers said. “This is not someone who was on our radar. This is not someone we were actively engaged with.”
Deputies will remain at the home for quite some time during the investigation.
“The entire house is our crime scene,” Flowers said. “Our entire team has been activated.”
Flowers thanked the other sheriffs and law enforcement leaders across Florida and the nation who reached out to him following the shooting.
Brevard Sheriff Wayne Ivey made a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he sent additional units to assist the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office with other calls as they investigate the deadly shooting. St. Lucie County Sheriff Richard Del Toro and Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek offered their deepest sympathies and asked for prayers for the families of Sweeting-Mashkow, Arizpe, the unidentified locksmith and anyone else affected by the shooting.
Gov. Ron DeSantis said during a news conference that Florida Department of Law Enforcement officers were helping to assist Flowers and Indian River County deputies.
“I want to thank them all for our concern and reaching out to us,” Flowers said.
Escort route
Flowers said deputies will transport Sweeting-Mashkow’s body to the 19th District Medical Examiner’s Office in Fort Pierce. The time for the escort was about 5:30 p.m., said Lt. Kevin Jaworski, a spokesperson for the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies will flank the transport, which will head westbound on County Road 510 to County Road 512, west to Interstate 95, south to Okeechobee Road and then east to the medical examiner’s office.
“Our team will feel this forever,” Flowers said. “Mashkow was an amazing deputy. She had a beautiful heart. She will be missed.”
First IRC line of duty death
The first Indian River County sheriff’s deputy killed on duty was Cpl. Richard R. Raczkoski. Raczkoski was shot several times on Sept. 23, 1986, at State Road 60 near 82nd Avenue after responding to a 911 hang up from a Zippy Mart convenience store.
Raczkoski died on the way to the hospital. The gunman – Vietnam veteran William Reaves – was convicted and sentenced to death row.
Photos by Joshua Kodis
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- Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers
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- Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers
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- Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers
