1 deputy dead, 2 others injured while serving eviction notice in Indian River County
Sheriff’s vehicles seen speeding along US-1 in Vero Beach
THIS IS ABOUT EIGHT MINUTES AWAY FROM THE SCENE, SO WE EXPECT SOME UPDATES. LET’S LISTEN. IN SIX DAYS BEFORE THANKSGIVING. THIS MORNING, OUR CIVIL UNIT. WENT OUT TO ONE ONE THREE SEVEN GOVERNOR’S WAY IN BERMUDA CLUB SOMERSET BAY. TO SERVE AN EVICTION. RESIDENT OF THE HOME WAS EVICTING HER SON. GUY BY THE NAME OF MICHAEL HALBERSTAM, BORN IN 88. OUR DEPUTIES AND A LOCKSMITH WERE ON SCENE IN AN EFFORT TO EVICT HIM. COURT PROCESS. COURT PAPERWORK MOVE HIM OUT OF THAT HOUSE. WHILE THEY WERE IN THE ENTRYWAY, HAVING JUST MADE ENTRY INTO THE HOME. MR. HALBERSTAM RETRIEVED A WEAPON. AND HE BEGAN INDISCRIMINATELY FIRING AT OUR DEPUTIES ON SCENE. WE HAD THREE DEPUTIES THERE. DEPUTY TINO RIGSBY HAS BEEN WITH US FOR 25 YEARS. HE WAS SHOT IN THE SHOULDER. HE RETREATED INTO THE GARAGE. I SPOKE WITH HIM DOWN AT LAWNWOOD. HE’S RECOVERING. BUT HE’S HURT. DEPUTY TERRI. SWEETING, MOSCOW. 47 YEARS OLD. 25 YEARS AND 16 DAYS OF SERVICE WITH THE INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE TODAY AND WAS KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY INSIDE OF THAT RESIDENCE. THERE SERGEANT WAS ALSO ON SCENE. HE WAS NOT INJURED. HE DID FIRE. DEPUTY RIGSBY FIRED. AS WE CONTINUE THROUGH THE INVESTIGATION, WE’LL KNOW IF DEPUTY TERRI SWEDEN, MOSCOW EVER FIRED HER WEAPON OR NOT. THE LOCKSMITH THAT WAS ON SCENE IS CURRENTLY IN SURGERY IN CRITICAL CONDITION. THE BAD GUY IS CURRENTLY IN SURGERY IN CRITICAL CONDITION. OUR TEAM HAS BEEN MEETING WITH FAMILY MEMBERS OF ALL THESE FOLKS TO NOTIFY THEM OF THIS AWFUL TRAGEDY. THIS IS THE SECOND LINE OF DUTY DEATH IN THIS 100TH YEARS. THIS YEAR IS 100 YEARS. WE’RE WEARING THIS BADGE THIS YEAR FOR 100 YEARS OF THE INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE. TODAY, I HAVE THE UNFORTUNATE TASK OF TELLING YOU THAT WE HAVE THE SECOND LINE OF DUTY DEATH. TERRI STARTED HER CAREER. SHE’S 47 YEARS OLD. 25 YEARS AGO, SHE STARTED AS A DISPATCHER. SHE WORKED IN PATROL FOR 20 YEARS. AND IN 2023, SHE WAS MOVED TO OUR LEGAL PROCESS. CIVIL UNIT. OUR BAD GUY. HAS A 2006 NARCOTICS CHARGE AND A 2015 MISDEMEANOR ASSAULT CHARGE, BOTH OUT OF VIRGINIA. WE’VE HAD SEVEN CALLS TO THIS RESIDENCE ALL THIS MONTH. NOTHING BEFORE THAT. ALMOST ALL OF THEM FROM THE MOTHER CALLING ABOUT HIM AND HER DECISION TO ULTIMATELY EVICT HIM. OUR REAL TIME CRIME CENTER HAS BEEN WORKING ON FINDING MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS SUSPECT. THEY’VE IDENTIFIED SOME STRANGE POSTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA. THEY’VE IDENTIFIED THAT HE WAS FIRED FROM. UPS, THAT HE MADE SOME TERRIBLE COMMENTS ABOUT THEM, AND THAT HE HAD BEEN POSTING SOME NEGATIVE ITEMS ABOUT THE INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE ON HIS FACEBOOK PAGE. THIS IS NOT SOMEONE THAT WAS ON OUR RADAR. THIS IS NOT SOMEBODY THAT WE WERE ACTIVELY ENGAGED WITH. THIS WAS A STANDARD CALL FOR SERVICE. THIS IS THE EVERYDAY CALL. THE EVICTION, THE REGULAR, THE REGULAR DUTIES THAT OUR DEPUTIES BRAVELY DO EVERY DAY IN AND OUT. AND TODAY, DEPUTY TERRY SWEETING, MOSCOW 25 YEARS OF SERVICE, 47 YEARS OLD, GAVE HER LIFE FOR THIS COMMUNITY. THAT I’LL TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS. DID ANY OF THE DEPUTIES FIRE OR FIRE THEIR WEAPONS AT THIS INDIVIDUAL OR. YES, I CAN SAY THAT THE SERGEANT THAT WAS ON SCENE, DEPUTY TINA RIGSBY, BOTH FIRED. UNTIL WE CONDUCT OUR FULL INVESTIGATION, I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TELL YOU WHETHER OR NOT DEPUTY TERRY SWEETING, MOSCOW FIRED THE WEAPON OR NOT. DID DID THE GUNMAN HAVE A LEGAL RIGHT TO OWN A HANDGUN? OR IS A CONVICTED FELON? HE SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD A GUN THROUGH OUR INITIAL INVESTIGATION. AGAIN, WE ARE VERY EARLY ON IN THIS INVESTIGATION. WE SEE NOTHING THAT WOULD PRECLUDE HIM FROM HAVING A WEAPON AT THIS TIME. YES. YES, MA’AM. CAN YOU SMELL IT? SURE. THE SUSPECT’S NAME IN THIS CASE IS MICHAEL. COMMON SPELLING HALBERSTAM H A L B E R S T A M. BORN IN 88. AGAIN. HE IS IN SURGERY IN CRITICAL CONDITION AT THE MOMENT. CAN YOU GIVE THE FEMALE DEPUTIES MAKE SURE TERRI T E R R I? M A H K O W. AND WHAT ABOUT THE. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING? WE’RE NOT RELEASING HIS NAME. WE HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH HIS FAMILY, BUT WE ARE NOT RELEASING HIS NAME. WHAT WAS. WHAT WAS THE MOTHER TRYING TO EVICT HER SON? WE DON’T HAVE THOSE DETAILS YET. DO YOU HAVE TO GET THESE NAMES? COULD YOU? SPELL THOSE? TINO T I N O? IT’S ACTUALLY FLORENTINO A P A R I Z P. THE OTHER DEPUTY SERGEANT CARLOS WAS ON SCENE. HE’S THE CIVIL SERGEANT. HE WAS THERE ON SCENE FIRST THING FOR SERGEANT. SERGEANT GARY CARLOS WAS ON SCENE. WERE THEY ALL TAKEN TO LAWNWOOD? YES, YES, THEY WERE TAKEN ALONG WITH. YES, SIR. HOW OFTEN DO YOU HAVE THESE? ENCOUNTER? CONFRONTATION OR VIOLENCE FROM JUST. FROM THE CIVIL PROCESS? YOU KNOW, THEY ENCOUNTER PEOPLE WHO ARE IN DISTRESS. THAT’S NOT UNUSUAL. AN EVICTION IS A VERY TENSE MOMENT. MANY TIMES IT’S HANDLED BEFORE THEY EVER GET THERE. AND IT BECOMES A COMMONPLACE CALL. BUT ON OCCASION, THEY DO ENCOUNTER SOMEBODY WHO IS IN DISTRESS, AND THEY HAVE RESOURCES AND THEY WORK THROUGH THOSE THINGS. THIS IS NOT A. SITUATION WHERE A PERSON WOULD EVER BE EXPECTED TO START SHOOTING INDISCRIMINATELY AT THESE DEPUTIES, AND JUST A TERRIBLE SCENE OUT THERE. OUR TEAM IS GOING TO BE ON SCENE FOR QUITE SOME TIME. IT IS A, YOU KNOW, IT’S THE ENTIRE HOUSE IS OUR CRIME SCENE. AND OF COURSE, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, OUR ENTIRE TEAM HAS BEEN ACTIVATED. OUR STAR TEAM, OUR PEER SUPPORT TEAM. WE HAVE LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES HELPING OUR TEAM. I WANT TO THANK YOU TO ALL THE SHERIFFS THAT’S REACHED OUT TO ME. ALL THE LAW ENFORCEMENT LEADERS, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, I’VE HEARD FROM PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY TODAY, AND I WANT TO THANK THEM ALL FOR FOR THEIR CONCERN FOR REACHING OUT TO US, OUR TEAM, OUR HONOR GUARD TEAM WILL BE TRANSPORTING TERRI. AND OBVIOUSLY, AS WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THIS CASE, WE WILL COME BACK BEFORE YOU. WE WILL PUT OUT AS MUCH AS WE CAN. I SEE WELL, YES, SIR. THE THE THE ACCUSED SHOOTER, I GUESS. DID HE SHOOT HIMSELF AS WELL? WE’RE STILL VERY EARLY IN THE INVESTIGATION, SO I, I CAN’T SAY I CAN TELL YOU THAT OUR DEPUTIES DID FIRE AT HIM AND HE HAS BEEN STRUCK MULTIPLE TIMES. AND, YOU KNOW, I WOULD ASSUME THAT IT’S OUR DEPUTIES THAT HAVE MADE THOSE SHOTS. BUT I CAN’T SAY FOR SURE WE’LL HAVE TO THE INVESTIGATION WILL DO THAT. AND THE MOM WAS AT THE HOME AT THE TIME. MOM WAS OUTSIDE. SO PART OF OUR STANDARD EVICTION PROCESS WOULD BE TO HAVE ANYBODY ELSE THAT’S INVOLVED GO OUTSIDE OF THE RESIDENCE. SO SHE WAS OUTSIDE WHEN IT ALL OCCURRED. SO NOBODY ELSE WAS IN THE HOUSE. NOBODY ELSE, EXCEPT FOR THE SHOOTER WAS INSIDE OF THE RESIDENCE. WHAT IS YOUR OVERALL REACTION TO THIS TRAGEDY? SURE. I’M ABSOLUTELY HEARTBROKEN. I’VE WORKED MY ENTIRE CAREER WITH TERRI AND AS HAVE PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY ELSE AT THE AGENCY. YOU KNOW, WE DON’T HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN THERE BEYOND THAT TIME. 25 YEARS IS A LONG TIME. HAVING TO CALL HER MOM TODAY, HAVING TO LET HER HUSBAND KNOW. ABSOLUTELY. THE WORST PART OF BEING A LAW ENFORCEMENT LEADER. I CAN TELL YOU THAT OUR TEAM WILL FEEL THIS FOREVER. TERRI WAS AN AMAZING DEPUTY. SHE HAD A BEAUTIFUL HEART AND SHE WILL BE MISSED. THANK YOU GUYS. WE’LL BE BACK IN TOUCH WHEN WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION. THANK YOU. SEE, YOU WERE JUST LISTENING TO INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SHERIFF ERIC FLOWERS DELIVERING THAT REALLY HARD NEWS THAT ONE OF THEIR OWN HAS BEEN KILLED IN A SHOOTING THAT PLAYED OUT EARLY THIS MORNING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. YOU’RE LOOKING AT THERE TO THE LEFT OF YOUR SCREEN. SO THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED FROM WHAT YOU JUST HEARD. 25 YEAR VETERAN OF THE INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE. HER NAME TERRI MASHKOOR. SHE WAS ONE AMONG THREE DEPUTIES THAT WENT TO THAT HOME IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD OFF GOVERNORS WAY TO SERVE AN EVICTION NOTICE. THE SHERIFF SAYS THE MOTHER WAS EVICTING HER SON OUT OF THE HOUSE WHEN THEY GOT THERE. THE THREE DEPUTIES WITH A LOCKSMITH ALSO ON SCENE. THAT IS WHEN THEY SAY THE SUSPECT, MICHAEL HALBERSTAM, STARTED FIRING INDISCRIMINATELY AT THOSE DEPUTIES. AS YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN RIGHT NOW, TERRI MASHKOOR WAS 47 YEARS OLD. ONE DEPUTY RIGHT NOW IS IN THE HOSPITAL, SHOT IN THE SHOULDER. THE SUSPECT WAS ALSO HURT. CRITICAL CONDITION AS DEPUTIES FIRED BACK ONE, SPECIFICALLY A SERGEANT, THE SHERIFF SAID FIRED BACK AT THAT SUSPECT. RIGHT NOW, WE ALSO KNOW THE LOCKSMITH THAT CAME TO THE SCENE WAS SHOT AS WELL AND IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION. THEY WERE SERVING THAT EVICTION NOTICE. RIGHT NOW, THAT INVESTIGATION IS VERY PRELIMINARY. THEY CAN TELL US THAT RECENTLY, THE SUSPECT WAS FIRED FROM A JOB, AS WELL AS POSTING SOME CONCERNING THINGS ONLINE. BUT AGAIN, TO RECAP, A 25 YEAR VETERAN, 47 YEAR OLD WOMAN, TERRI MASHKOOR, HAS BEEN KILLED IN A SHOOTING EARLY THIS MORNING IN INDIAN RIVER COUNTY. THE SECOND LINE OF DUTY DEATH IN 100 YEAR HISTORY OF THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE. TERRIBLE SITUATION PLAYING OUT RIGHT NOW. WE DO WANT TO GO TO OUR RACHEL PERRY AT HCA FLORIDA LONGWOOD HOSPITAL. RACHEL, AS WE JUST SAID THERE IN FORT PIERCE, THAT’S THE NEAREST TRAUMA CENTER RIGHT NOW. AGAIN, THE SUSPECT IS BELIEVED TO BE THERE IN CRITICAL CONDITION. A LOCKSMITH HURT. AND THAT OFFICER, THAT DEPUTY SHOT IN THE SHOULDER. JUST RUN US THROUGH OUT WHAT YOU HAVE SEEN SINCE BEING THERE. WELL, JUST LIKE YOU SAID, WE’RE OUTSIDE LONGWOOD HOSPITAL IN FORT PIERCE. I’M GOING TO TAKE A STEP OUT OF YOUR WAY, THOUGH, SO WE CAN ZOOM IN. WE CAN STILL SEE SEVERAL INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES ON SCENE WAITING OUTSIDE OF THE TRAUMA CENTER. NOW, AS YOU SAID, THE SHERIFF SAYS ONE DEPUTY WAS KILLED IN THIS TRAGIC SHOOTING AND THE THREE PEOPLE INJURED WERE TAKEN HERE TO LONGWOOD HOSPITAL, INCLUDING THE SUSPECT, SHERIFF FLOWERS SAYS ONE DEPUTY WAS SHOT IN THE SHOULDER AND IS HERE RECOVERING. A LOCKSMITH WAS ALSO INJURED IN CRITICAL CONDITION NOW AND THE SUSPECT IS HERE IN CRITICAL CONDITION AS WELL. YOU CAN SEE SEVERAL INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE VEHICLES STILL ON SCENE. WHEN WE FIRST GOT HERE, WE SAW TWO HELICOPTERS, ONE FROM MARTIN COUNTY FIRE RESCUE AND ANOTHER FROM SAINT LUCIE COUNTY FIRE RESCUE. ACCORDING TO THE SHERIFF, DEPUTIES WERE SERVING AN EVICTION NOTICE WHEN THIS HAPPENED. NOW, AS YOU ALSO SAID, A LOT OF INFORMATION STILL COMING IN. WE JUST HEARD FROM THE SHERIFF, SO STICK WITH US FOR ANY UPDATES. BUT FOR NOW, LIVE IN FORT PIERCE. RACHEL PERRY, WPBF 25 NEWS. RACHEL THANK YOU. AND LIKE THE SHERIFF SAID, AT SOME POINT THE DEPUTY’S BODY, TERRI, WILL BE ESCORTED FROM THE MEDICAL TO THE MEDICAL EXAMINER’S OFFICE. AND WE’LL OF COURSE, FOLLOW THIS BREAKING NEWS STORY THROUGHOUT THE HOUR FOR YOU. WE HAVE EXTENSIVE COVERAGE RIGHT NOW ON WPBF.COM. YOU CAN GO TO OUR HOME PAGE IF YOU WANT TO REWATCH WHAT SHERIFF FLOWERS JUST SAID AT THAT PRESS CONFERENCE. WE’LL OF COURSE, STAY ON ANY TYPE OF BREAKING NEWS
1 deputy dead, 2 others injured while serving eviction notice in Indian River County
Sheriff’s vehicles seen speeding along US-1 in Vero Beach
Updated: 1:50 PM EST Nov 21, 2025
Authorities are investigating after one deputy was killed and another was shot Friday morning in Indian River County. Indian River County sheriff Eric Flowers said three deputies were serving an eviction notice in the 1100 block of Governor’s Way, in the Bermuda Club/Somerset Bay community Deputy Terri Mashkow, 47, was killed inside the residence. She had 25 years and 16 days of service. Deputy Florentino Arizpe, who has also been with IRCO for 25 years, was shot in the shoulder. Flowers said he retreated into the garage. He is recovering at HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital. Their sergeant, Deputy Arizpe, was also on the scene and was not injured. The locksmith on the scene is in surgery and in critical condition. The suspect is also in surgery in critical condition.Gov. Ron DeSantis commented about the shooting during a separate press conference. “We are monitoring a situation in Indian River County. We had three officers that have been shot, suspect,” said DeSantis. “There is just a lot going on. Just know, Florida Department of Law Enforcement is engaged, working with the sheriff and the local community. We will hope for the best results out of that,” he added. Palm Beach County memorial to honor fallen deputiesAt least a dozen sheriff’s vehicles and unmarked law enforcement cars, including an armored sheriff’s vehicle, were seen driving at high speeds along U.S. Route 1 in Vero Beach moments after the call came in. Martin County deputy accused of misconduct in arrests involving prostitution and drugsUpdates will be provided on-air and online as more details become available.Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla. —
Authorities are investigating after one deputy was killed and another was shot Friday morning in Indian River County.
Indian River County sheriff Eric Flowers said three deputies were serving an eviction notice in the 1100 block of Governor’s Way, in the Bermuda Club/Somerset Bay community
Deputy Terri Mashkow, 47, was killed inside the residence. She had 25 years and 16 days of service.
Deputy Florentino Arizpe, who has also been with IRCO for 25 years, was shot in the shoulder. Flowers said he retreated into the garage. He is recovering at HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital.
Their sergeant, Deputy Arizpe, was also on the scene and was not injured.
The locksmith on the scene is in surgery and in critical condition. The suspect is also in surgery in critical condition.
Gov. Ron DeSantis commented about the shooting during a separate press conference.
“We are monitoring a situation in Indian River County. We had three officers that have been shot, suspect,” said DeSantis. “There is just a lot going on. Just know, Florida Department of Law Enforcement is engaged, working with the sheriff and the local community. We will hope for the best results out of that,” he added.
Palm Beach County memorial to honor fallen deputies
At least a dozen sheriff’s vehicles and unmarked law enforcement cars, including an armored sheriff’s vehicle, were seen driving at high speeds along U.S. Route 1 in Vero Beach moments after the call came in.
Martin County deputy accused of misconduct in arrests involving prostitution and drugs
Updates will be provided on-air and online as more details become available.
Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25
Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.