Two deputies shot, chase ends in shoot out in DeFuniak Springs

It all started at one of those "safe" gun ranges for "responsible" gun owners.

Sorry I am not familiar with the place.


Daily News now reporting both deputies and suspect are deceased.

Prayers for the families of everyone involved, and for the law enforcement community in both Okaloosa and Walton Counties.

Better yet, leo's everywhere.

My lands, I was driving back from Montgomery and was going to the Tom Thumb at 331 and 90 about an hour ago, and I just about fainted from seeing more than a dozen law enforcement vehicles all over the intersection. I thought it had been a bad wreck or something. They still had the 2 eastbound lanes of 90 blocked and were routing eastbound traffic in one of the westbound lanes when I came through. Jeepers. I'm glad I was nowhere near when the whole thing happened!

I was up in DeFuniak for a number of reasons. The road to my Mom's house is just a street or two away from where this happened. I stopped by there in late afternoon and they mentioned about some big traffic issue on 90 that had been going on since 1 p.m.. Traffic was backed up quite a bit from the West. When I left her house at 6 pm a a number of sheriff etc. car lights were still blazing. Had no idea what had happened and missed the news as was driving home to SoWal. At that time was concerned for only a tragic traffic accident. Saw this just now on SoWal. Goodness. This is so sad and I'm sorry for all those involved and my condolences to family and friends.

Prayers for all involved.

At least the woman won't have to worry about her husband ever beating her again. It's just too bad that two officers had to give their lives. I'm glad Walton County Sheriffs took care of that creep.

I hope this link works.

http://home.knology.net/news/read.php?ps=1018&rip_id=&_LT=HOME_LARSDCCLM_UNEWS&page=1

How awful. My prayers go out to the officers' families.

Glad the psycho wife beater is dead, but very sad that he had to ruin so many lives and hurt so many people before he went to hell.

It all started at one of those "safe" gun ranges for "responsible" gun owners.

I thought I read that it started in the parking lot of a Target.

I thought I read that it started in the parking lot of a Target.

You can believe the "gun haters" will take advantage of this tragedy.

They have already, see second posting!

They have already, see second posting!

touche'

I thought I read that it started in the parking lot of a Target.

Per your own link to the newspaper article, the scumbag first sent his wife to the emergency room, then went to the Shoal River Gun Club, where he shot and killed the 2 deputies sent to arrest him.

Since both deputies were husbands and fathers, who died protecting all of us, perhaps you could take the politics and sniping to a different thread.

You can believe the "gun haters" will take advantage of this tragedy.

guns don't kill people, people with guns kill people

guns don't kill people, people with guns kill people

Deranged people with guns kill people. The rest of us carry them to hopefully be able to protect ourselves and our families from said deranged people (apparently they are everywhere, even here, now), and then there are hunters, and gun collectors.

guns don't kill people, people with guns kill people

And knives, and baseball bats, and cars, and bare hands, etc. etc.

Thank you, you made my point for me.

Per your own link to the newspaper article, the scumbag first sent his wife to the emergency room, then went to the Shoal River Gun Club, where he shot and killed the 2 deputies sent to arrest him.

Since both deputies were husbands and fathers, who died protecting all of us, perhaps you could take the politics and sniping to a different thread.

And now I read it started over a tube of Clearasil. As to your question, no.

I am sorry for the 2 deputies from Okaloosa Co. But I honestly think it might have been a better move to wait until he LEFT the firing range to arrest him. He might have at least had his gun holstered and put away.
EDIT: Just read an AP update that says :"Lopez and York went to a shooting range to arrest Cartwright after Cartwright's wife went to an area hospital for domestic abuse injures.
Spooner said they stopped Cartwright near his truck as he left the shooting range and tried to arrest him. Cartwright began arguing and resisting arrest and York used a stun gun to subdue him. Cartwright began shooting while on the ground.
"Within seconds he sat up and began firing a weapon that came out of nowhere, it was somewhere on his body we assume," he said...
Spooner said that between 30 and 40 rounds were exchanged between Cartwright and the two deputies...
Investigators say Cartwright and deputies at the roadblock exchanged about 60 rounds in 30 to 40 seconds before he was killed. "


Sounds like this one one real nutjob that would have done what he did no matter WHERE he was caught.

Out of this tradgedy, is born camraderie. I am SO sad that my comrades in Okaloosa are going through such tough times. My prayers and thoughts are with the families and co-workers of York and Lopez.

I can honestly say that I have never been prouder to be a Walton County Law Enforcement Officer. The chain of command of your Sheriff's Office handled this situation with professionalism, sympathy for all involved and sensitivity.

Thank you to my brothers and sisters, the Sheriff and his staff.

Matthew 5:9