She died in the doorway, a 25-year veteran with her service weapon still holstered, felled by gunfire during what should have been one of the most routine calls in a deputy’s career. The incident that claimed the life of **Deputy Terri Sweeting-Mashkow**, 47, began as a civil eviction at **1137 Governor’s Way** in the quiet Bermuda Club community.
The request for assistance had come from an unusual source: the suspect’s own mother, who told authorities she feared her son, **37-year-old Michael Halberstam**, had become increasingly unstable and would not vacate the property as ordered.Deputies arrived mid-morning Friday accompanied by a licensed locksmith, prepared for what they expected to be a peaceful, if tense, interaction.
Reports indicate that Halberstam did not respond to multiple attempts to make contact. Once the locksmith unlocked the door, deputies cautiously stepped inside. What happened next unfolded in seconds.Without a word of warning or visible provocation, Halberstam opened fire from deeper inside the home. Deputy Sweeting-Mashkow, positioned nearest to the doorway, was struck immediately.
Witnesses say she collapsed backward into the entryway, never drawing her weapon. Other deputies scrambled for cover as the confined space filled with gun smoke.Deputy Florentino Reyes**, standing just behind her, was also hit as he tried to return fire and pull his colleague out of the line of attack. Despite his injuries, Reyes managed to radio for emergency assistance and help direct responding units.
A prolonged standoff followed as Halberstam barricaded himself inside the residence. SWAT units eventually breached the home and took him into custody without additional injuries.Sweeting-Mashkow’s death has shaken the department, where she was known as a calm, steady presence and a mentor to younger deputies. Officials described the shooting as a “senseless ambush” during a call that should never have turned violent.
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