Florida deputy killed, 2 others wounded and suspect dead over eviction notice

Muri Assunção, New York Daily News on Nov 22, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

A Florida sheriff’s deputy was killed and two other people were wounded Friday after gunfire broke out during an attempt to serve an eviction notice in Vero Beach, officials said.

The suspected gunman, 37-year-old Michael Halberstam, died from his injuries Saturday afternoon.

Authorities said three deputies and a locksmith responded early Friday to a gated community in Indian River County to evict Halberstam from his mother’s home at her request.

As soon as they entered the home in the Bermuda Club, on the barrier island of Orchid, Halberstam “retrieved a weapon” and “began indiscriminately firing” at them, Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers said at a press conference.

Deputy Terri Sweeting-Mashkow, 47, was fatally shot during the incident, Flowers said. Another deputy, Tino Arisby, was shot in the shoulder and is expected to recover. A third deputy, Sgt. Gary Farless, was unharmed.

The locksmith was also wounded and taken to a local hospital in critical condition.

Sweeting-Mashkow, who had been with the force for 25 years, made “the ultimate sacrifice” and was killed in the line of duty, a visibly emotional Flowers said, adding she was an “amazing deputy” with a “beautiful heart.”

On Saturday, she was posthumously promoted to sergeant within the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office. “She will be addressed as Sergeant Sweeting-Mashkow henceforth,” officials said.

Halberstam — who, according to Flowers, had a 2006 narcotics charge and a 2015 misdemeanor assault charge, both out of Virginia — was also shot during the incident and hospitalized in critical condition. He was pronounced dead Saturday shortly after 3:30 p.m.

In a statement shared with Vero News Friday night, Halberstam’s family members said they were “heartbroken by the tragic events.”

“We can’t adequately express our profound sorrow for the pain and devastation this incident has caused,” the family said, asking for privacy during this time of “healing and grieving.”

Sweeting-Mashkow is survived by her husband and daughter, officials said.

According to Flowers, her death was the department’s second line-of-duty fatality in 100 years.