Police and Law Enforcement Network
Two Florida Deputies Fatally Shot at Shooting Range, Suspect Later Killed
CRESTVIEW, Fla. (AP) -- A man accused of beating his wife killed two north Florida sheriff's deputies who caught up with him at a shooting range, then fled across the county line, where he died in an exchange of gunfire with deputies, authorities said.
Deputy Burt Lopez (AP Photo/Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office)
Deputy Warren York (AP Photo/Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office)
An overturned truck rests on the side of U.S. Highway 90, Saturday, April 25, 2009 in Defuniak Springs, Fla. after the suspect driving the vehicle shot two deputies near Crestview, Fla. The shooting occurred around 1 p.m. Saturday, when the two deputies went to Shoal River Sporting Clays and Shooting Center, near Crestview, in response to a call, said Michele Nicholson, a sheriff's spokeswoman. Authorities say the suspect shot and hit both deputies and took off toward neighboring Walton County, where he was shot and killed by sheriff's deputies.(AP Photo/ Northwest Florida Daily News, Nick Tomecek)
Okaloosa County Florida officials embrace, Saturday, April 25, 2009 at the Shoal River Gun Club in Crestview, Fla. Authorities say two Okaloosa County sheriff's deputies have been shot and were airlifted to a hospital, but their conditions were not immediately known. (AP Photo/Northwest Florida Daily News, Ann Spann)
It happened around 1 p.m. Saturday when the two Okaloosa County deputies went to Shoal River Sporting Clays and Shooting Center in response to a domestic violence call, sheriff's officials said.
Deputies Burt Lopez and Deputy Warren "Skip" York were pronounced dead after being airlifted to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, about 45 miles away, the sheriff's office said. Officials identified their killer as Joshua Cartwright, 28, of Fort Walton Beach.
Authorities said Cartwright, a U.S. Army Reserve soldier, shot both deputies and took off toward neighboring Walton County, where Walton County deputies killed him after an exchange of gunfire at a roadblock.
"It must have been like 30 or 40 shots," witness Mark Illich told The Northwest Florida Daily News.
Illich said he saw one officer putting down spikes at the intersection and knew "something's about to happen."
Then, "(Cartwright's) truck, he started coming. And we saw him, and he seemed calm as a cucumber," Illich said.
Cartwright veered around the spike strip, and an officer opened fire at the back of his truck, Illich said.
The incident began shortly after 10 a.m. when the Fort Walton Beach Medical Center notified the sheriff's office that Cartwright's wife said she had been beaten by her husband, according to a timeline released by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the sheriff's office.
The two deputies found Cartwright at the shooting range and began trying to arrest him shortly before 1 p.m., but they reported that he was refusing to cooperate.
At 12:51 p.m. dispatchers received a call that an officer had been hit and began their search for Cartwright, who had left the shooting range in his truck.
Deputies shot and killed Cartwright around 1:10 p.m.
Cartwright had been arrested in November on a charge of domestic battery against his wife, Elizabeth Marie Cartwright, 21. That charge was still pending.
According the sheriff's office incident report, the couple had argued in a store parking lot. Cartwright told deputies that "things got out of hand when he heard enough of her shouting at him," and that he pushed her in the face with his open hand.
The Daily News reported that Cartwright had worked as a bouncer at a Fort Walton Beach bar. The sheriff's office said Cartwright also served in the U.S. Army Reserves and the 2008 arrest report listed the Army Reserves as his employer.
Lopez and York were wearing bulletproof vests, said Michele Nicholson, spokeswoman for the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office.
"We're experiencing a range of emotions, from heartache and disbelief to numbness, that these men were taken from our agency, their family and friends, and their communities," Nicholson said. "Our focus right now is to take care of their loved ones, and each other, and continue to serve the public, as we work through this latest devastating event."
The slain deputies, both 45, were retired from the U.S. Air Force, Nicholson said. Lopez had five children and York had a 10-year-old son, according to the Daily News.
It was the latest in a series of traumatic episodes for the department.
Another Okaloosa County sheriff's deputy was shot and killed in July following a standoff with a man who had barricaded himself inside a home.
Related
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Deputy Burt Lopez (AP Photo/Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office)
Deputy Warren York (AP Photo/Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office)
An overturned truck rests on the side of U.S. Highway 90, Saturday, April 25, 2009 in Defuniak Springs, Fla. after the suspect driving the vehicle shot two deputies near Crestview, Fla. The shooting occurred around 1 p.m. Saturday, when the two deputies went to Shoal River Sporting Clays and Shooting Center, near Crestview, in response to a call, said Michele Nicholson, a sheriff's spokeswoman. Authorities say the suspect shot and hit both deputies and took off toward neighboring Walton County, where he was shot and killed by sheriff's deputies.(AP Photo/ Northwest Florida Daily News, Nick Tomecek)
Okaloosa County Florida officials embrace, Saturday, April 25, 2009 at the Shoal River Gun Club in Crestview, Fla. Authorities say two Okaloosa County sheriff's deputies have been shot and were airlifted to a hospital, but their conditions were not immediately known. (AP Photo/Northwest Florida Daily News, Ann Spann)
It happened around 1 p.m. Saturday when the two Okaloosa County deputies went to Shoal River Sporting Clays and Shooting Center in response to a domestic violence call, sheriff's officials said.
Deputies Burt Lopez and Deputy Warren "Skip" York were pronounced dead after being airlifted to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, about 45 miles away, the sheriff's office said. Officials identified their killer as Joshua Cartwright, 28, of Fort Walton Beach.
Authorities said Cartwright, a U.S. Army Reserve soldier, shot both deputies and took off toward neighboring Walton County, where Walton County deputies killed him after an exchange of gunfire at a roadblock.
"It must have been like 30 or 40 shots," witness Mark Illich told The Northwest Florida Daily News.
Illich said he saw one officer putting down spikes at the intersection and knew "something's about to happen."
Then, "(Cartwright's) truck, he started coming. And we saw him, and he seemed calm as a cucumber," Illich said.
Cartwright veered around the spike strip, and an officer opened fire at the back of his truck, Illich said.
The incident began shortly after 10 a.m. when the Fort Walton Beach Medical Center notified the sheriff's office that Cartwright's wife said she had been beaten by her husband, according to a timeline released by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the sheriff's office.
The two deputies found Cartwright at the shooting range and began trying to arrest him shortly before 1 p.m., but they reported that he was refusing to cooperate.
At 12:51 p.m. dispatchers received a call that an officer had been hit and began their search for Cartwright, who had left the shooting range in his truck.
Deputies shot and killed Cartwright around 1:10 p.m.
Cartwright had been arrested in November on a charge of domestic battery against his wife, Elizabeth Marie Cartwright, 21. That charge was still pending.
According the sheriff's office incident report, the couple had argued in a store parking lot. Cartwright told deputies that "things got out of hand when he heard enough of her shouting at him," and that he pushed her in the face with his open hand.
The Daily News reported that Cartwright had worked as a bouncer at a Fort Walton Beach bar. The sheriff's office said Cartwright also served in the U.S. Army Reserves and the 2008 arrest report listed the Army Reserves as his employer.
Lopez and York were wearing bulletproof vests, said Michele Nicholson, spokeswoman for the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office.
"We're experiencing a range of emotions, from heartache and disbelief to numbness, that these men were taken from our agency, their family and friends, and their communities," Nicholson said. "Our focus right now is to take care of their loved ones, and each other, and continue to serve the public, as we work through this latest devastating event."
The slain deputies, both 45, were retired from the U.S. Air Force, Nicholson said. Lopez had five children and York had a 10-year-old son, according to the Daily News.
It was the latest in a series of traumatic episodes for the department.
Another Okaloosa County sheriff's deputy was shot and killed in July following a standoff with a man who had barricaded himself inside a home.
Related
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Johnny Russell on -
Condolences to the affected families, I hope they find peace in this time of great sorrow. I read the article about this incident on the AP, all I can say is that business in those paragraphs at the end of the new story have been already been told. Bringing up old unassociated news in this time of extreme sorrow shows a lapse in judgement.
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Permalink Reply by Bobby Clements on -
We send our prayers and extend our sympathy for the families of these two hero's who laid down their lives for their fellow man, as well as the abuse victim wife of the killer .
We lost one of our own on June 27, 1998, so we at MPD fully realize and share the pain these hero's families, community and agency is going through. God bless you all.
Rest in peace Officer Keith Turner, end of watch 6-27-98.
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Permalink Reply by Jim I. Parrett on -
May God somehow ease the pain of family and friends of these fallen brothers, and let us all remember these brave warriors for their service and sacrifice.
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Permalink Reply by Mark E. Burke on
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Rest in peace my Brothers. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of these Deputies. My Brothers and Sisters in Blue stay strong and stay the course.
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Permalink Reply by John Kirk on
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My heart felt condolences to the deputies families. I will keep you all in my prayers.
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Permalink Reply by BPD248 on -
Rest easy brothers, we've got the watch now...
Is any one else as disgusted as I am about the original AP artcle??? The last part of the story has no place being there! These men gave thier lives int he line of duty! The AP writer had no business at all bringing up internal department problems in this story! It does sound like an important issue that needs to be dealt with and is newsworthy, BUT NOT IN THIS ARTICLE!
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Permalink Reply by Craig Goral on -
my heart and prayers go out to the families and comerades of these 2 fine officers.
May their families be spared further sorrow.
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Permalink Reply by Sgt. Samuel Ferguson on
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My thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and co-workers of these two brave Deputies. May God Bless you all in this time of great need and sorrow.
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Permalink Reply by Rick Seobarrat on -
My heart goes to the families of these fallen warriors. I will say a special prayer for them tonight. A New Yorker LEO feels this great loss. Semper Fi to my brothers in Blue.
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Permalink Reply by April Carter on -
My condolences to the family, friends, and coworkers of the fallen officers. It is always a sad and senseless loss when our officers are taken in the line of duty.
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Permalink Reply by Mike J Peters on
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Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family's, friends and fellow officer's of Deputy York and Deputy Lopez
God Speed brothers.
Officer M. Peters and the Jasper, Tx. Police Department
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Permalink Reply by Laura Forgione on -
My Heart goes out to Okaloosa County Police Officers as We lost my brother in law Tony Forgione in July and to have the familes go thru this I can't imagine much less what the department is going thru. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone.
Two more Fallen Heros
Laura Forgione the wife of a Police officer.
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