The following is the latest news release from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office:

NEWS RELEASE                      
For Immediate Release
April 25, 2009

TWO OCSO DEPUTIES KILLED IN LINE-OF-DUTY

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office is grieving the loss of two deputies that were killed Saturday afternoon in the line-of-duty. Deputy Burt Lopez and Deputy Warren “Skip” York were fatally wounded while attempting to arrest an individual that had been involved in a domestic violence incident earlier this morning in Fort Walton Beach. 28-year old Joshua Cartwright, of Fort Walton Beach, shot and killed both Deputy Lopez and Deputy York at the Shoal River Gun Club shortly before 1:00 p.m. today.  Cartwright was later shot and killed by Walton County deputies after he shot at deputies following a pursuit in Walton County.

A joint news conference between the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, Walton County Sheriff’s Office and Florida Department of Law Enforcement will be held at 9:00 p.m. tonight at the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Administration Building located at 50 2nd Street in Shalimar.

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Update: Two Deputies and Suspect Killed
04/25/09 - 02:14 PM

WMBB News Department

 RSS Feed

Two Okaloosa Sheriff’s Deputies and the suspect they were attempting to arrest are dead after an incident that started in Okaloosa County and ended in Walton County.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s office tells News 13 law enforcement had been looking for the suspect, Joshua Cartwright, 28 of Fort Walton Beach, for his possible involvment in a domestic abuse case.  Deputies got a tip that Cartwright was at the Shoal River Gun Club in Crestview. When they arrived and confronted him, investigators say he engaged officers in a shootout.

Deputy Warren “Skip” York and Deputy Burt Lopez were both shot and airlifted to a trauma center in Pensacola where they died from their injuries.

The suspect fled heading to DeFuniak Springs.  Law enforcement put out spikes near the intersection of US 331 and Highway 90 near the DeFuniak Springs airport.  In order to avoid them, Cartwright veered off the road and flipped his truck.

Deputies then exchanged gunfire with Cartwright. He was killed on scene.