Community Mourns Officers

Alabama Okaloosa County New details about the deaths of two Okaloosa County officers killed in the line of duty.

by Jessica Taloney

Published: Mon, April 27, 2009 - 5:45 pm CST

An entire community is mourning the deaths of two Okaloosa County Sheriff's deputies.

Flags in Okaloosa County are flying at half-staff in memory of Burt Lopez and Warren "Skip" York, both 45, who were gunned down Saturday while attempting to arrest a domestic violence suspect at the Shoal River Gun Club in Crestview.

The events leading up to the officer's deaths began with an argument over Clearasil, according to an offense report released by the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office.

In the report, Joshua Cartwright's 21 year old wife told officers her husband, 28, woke her up Saturday morning demanding to know where she put the acne medication. Elizabeth Cartwright says she told him it was in the bathroom, but her husband insisted it was in her purse. After becoming increasingly upset, Elizabeth says her husband "jumped on top of her and straddled her body while holding her down on the bed against her will. She said he began to pull her hair with such force that her head was going back and forth."

Elizabeth called 911 from a nearby hospital, and the search for Joshua Cartwright began.

Deputies Lopez and York located Cartwright at the gun club where he resisted arrest and was subsequently tased. As he picked himself up, he began firing at the officers with a concealed weapon.

Lopez and York were both killed.

Minutes later, Cartwright was killed by law enforcement officers in Walton County.

Cartwright, a member of the US Army reserves, was laid of from his job on Friday, and his wife says he believed the government was conspiring against him. According to the report, he was also "severely disturbed that Barack Obama had been elected President."

A joint memorial service for Lopez and York will be held Wednesday from 5pm-9pm at the Crestview Community Center.

The funeral service for Deputy Burt Lopez, who leaves behind a wife and five children ranging from eight to 28 years old, is scheduled for Thursday at 3pm at Central Baptist Church in Crestview.

The service for Deputy "Skip" York, a husband and father of a 10-year-old son, will be held Friday at 10am at Saint Mary's Catholic Church in Fort Walton Beach.

Trust funds have been established for both officers' families. You can contribute at any branch of Beach Community Bank.

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mustuknow Says:

Thu, Apr 30, 2009 at 7:31 am

A BOTTLE OF CLEARASIL???? That is just great, 2 fine family men gave their lives for a bottle of clearasil. This has regressed to a whole new level.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the family, friends and Law Enforcement families of these fine men as I know their pain first hand, having lost a friend who was an undercover narcotics agent over somethin almost as rediculous. Our officers deserve more PAY, RESPECT AND PROTECTION from the many idiots out there.

More officers are injured or killed responding to domestic violence calls than anything else (last study I read). It is a shame, a down right shame.

Deswar Says:

Tue, Apr 28, 2009 at 6:56 am

My heart and prayers go to the families of these fine men, and the officers that worked beside them everyday.