INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A suspect who killed a veteran sheriff’s deputy and injured two others during an exchange of gunfire during an eviction in a beachside neighborhood on Friday, has died, sheriff’s officials said.
Michael Halberstam, 37, who was shot several times, succumbed to his injuries at 3:41 p.m. Saturday at HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce, Indian River County sheriff’s officials said. Another deputy, Tino Arizpe, and a locksmith who were also shot were recovering at the hospital.
Updates on their conditions were not immediately available.
The eviction-turned-shooting claimed the life of 47-year-old Terri Sweeting-Mashkow, who worked at the sheriff’s office for 25 years. It was the second line-of-duty death for the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office since its inception.
Sheriff’s officials said Sweeting-Mashkow was posthumously promoted to sergeant.
Sweeting-Mashkow, accompanied by Deputy Arizpe and Deputy Gary Farless, attempted to serve an eviction Friday morning at a residence located in the 1100 block of Governors Way at the Bermuda Club, a gated, beachside community.
Deputies said Halberstam’s mother was trying to evict him from the home. The mother stood outside the residence as deputies made their way inside.
When deputies walked in, Halberstam grabbed a gun and began firing indiscriminately at them, Sheriff Eric Flowers said. Sweeting-Mashkow died at the scene.
Flowers said Arizpe and Farless exchanged gunfire with Halberstam. Arizpe was shot in the shoulder. The locksmith was shot. Farless escaped injury.
Dozens of law enforcement officers escorted Sweeting-Mashkow’s body from Indian River County to the Medical Examiner’s Office in Fort Pierce. Details on the fallen deputy’s funeral arrangements – likely to draw hundreds of representatives from across the state and nation – will be later released.
“Thank you to all of our community for your continued support during these difficult times,” sheriff’s officials said in a statement. “Funeral service information will be provided at a later date.”
