A tragic shooting incident occurred on Friday morning during an eviction at the Bermuda Club in Indian River County, resulting in the death of Deputy Terri Mashkow, while another deputy, Florentino “Tino” Arispe, was shot in the shoulder and is currently recovering in a local hospital. In addition, a locksmith involved in the eviction process sustained critical injuries and is undergoing surgery.
Sheriff Eric Flowers held a news conference at noon to discuss the details of the incident, confirming Deputy Mashkow’s passing after 25 years of dedicated service to the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office. The 47-year-old deputy was participating in a standard eviction process when the situation escalated.
Deputy Arispe, a 25-year veteran of the department, was shot during the incident; he is expected to recover. The locksmith’s condition remains serious as he is hospitalized following surgery. The suspect, identified as Michael Halberstam, also suffered gunshot wounds during the confrontation and is currently in critical condition.
According to Sheriff Flowers, the deputies were at the residence to evict Halberstam when he allegedly opened fire on them and the locksmith. The sheriff expressed his condolences to Deputy Mashkow’s family and noted that her death marks the second line-of-duty death in the department’s 100-year history.
In a disturbing context, Sheriff Flowers mentioned that Halberstam had a criminal history that includes narcotics and misdemeanor assault charges. Additionally, authorities had received multiple calls from Halberstam’s mother expressing concerns about her son’s behavior as well as his troubling social media posts derogatory toward law enforcement.
The investigation is ongoing, with officials looking into whether Deputy Mashkow discharged her weapon during the incident, while confirming that both Deputy Arispe and a responding sergeant did fire their weapons.
This event highlights the risks faced by law enforcement in the line of duty and the difficult situations they navigate while serving the community. The response from the community, particularly from local officials like Governor Ron DeSantis and Attorney General James Uthemeier, underlines the collective mourning and outrage over such violent confrontations. As authorities continue to investigate and gather more details, they remain committed to ensuring the safety and security of residents in Indian River County.