Indian River County Deputy Shot Dead While Serving Eviction Notice in Vero Beach; Suspect Fired After Mother Requested Eviction

A tragic shooting unfolded in Vero Beach, Florida, on Friday when an Indian River County Sheriff’s Office deputy was killed and another wounded as deputies attempted to serve an eviction notice.

Deputies arrived at 1137 Governors Way in the Bermuda Club gated community to serve the notice to Michael Halberstam, according to officials. Sheriff Eric Flowers said that as deputies and a locksmith entered the home, Halberstam retreated to another area, retrieved a firearm, and began “indiscriminately firing” down the hallway. Deputies returned fire.

Deputy Terri Sweeting-Mashkow Killed; Second Deputy and Locksmith Injured

Killed in the shooting was Deputy Terri Sweeting-Mashkow, 47, a 25-year veteran of the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office who began her career as a dispatcher. Another deputy, Tino Arizpe, was shot in the shoulder and is recovering in the hospital. A locksmith assisting deputies was also shot and is in critical condition.

Halberstam himself was critically wounded and underwent emergency surgery on Friday, Sheriff Flowers said.

Indian River County Deputy Shot Dead While Serving Eviction Notice in Vero Beach; Suspect Fired After Mother Requested Eviction

Flowers described Mashkow’s death as heartbreaking, noting he had worked with her throughout his entire career. At 6 p.m. Friday, her flag-draped body was escorted by law enforcement to the medical examiner’s office — only the second line-of-duty death in the 100-year history of the department.

Eviction Request Came From Suspect’s Mother

Sheriff Flowers said deputies were attempting to evict Halberstam at the request of his mother, who had made multiple calls to law enforcement in recent weeks.
“We’ve had seven calls to this residence, all this month,” Flowers said. “Almost all of them from the mother … and her decision to ultimately evict him.”

Flowers added that Halberstam had not been an active concern for the department before the recent string of calls.

It remains unclear whether Halberstam’s mother was the legal owner or landlord of the residence.

Suspect’s Background and Recent Behavior

According to Sheriff Flowers, Halberstam has two prior charges out of Virginia — a 2006 narcotics offense and a 2015 misdemeanor assault. In the weeks leading up to the shooting, Halberstam had also been fired from his job at UPS, though the circumstances behind his termination remain unclear.

Flowers stated that Halberstam had been posting “strange” and “negative” content on social media, including hostile comments about his former employer and the sheriff’s office.

A Community Mourning Another Line-of-Duty Loss

The tragic death of Deputy Mashkow has shaken the Indian River County community and the Sheriff’s Office, which has experienced only two line-of-duty deaths in its century-long history. Sheriff Flowers emphasized the routine nature of the call and the unpredictability of violence deputies can encounter, even in what appears to be a standard eviction service.

The investigation remains ongoing.