VERO BEACH — Vero Beach locksmith David Long, 76, was one of two people wounded at the Bermuda Club eviction fatal shooting on Nov. 21, attempting to remove a man from a home south of the city on Orchid Island. He died Nov. 23 in HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital.
Long was with Sgt. Terri Sweeting-Mashkow, who was fatally shot; Deputy Tino Arizpe, who was shot in the shoulder and released from the hospital Nov. 23; and Sgt. Gary Farless, who was uninjured. The deputies were attempting to serve an eviction notice to Michael Halberstam, 37, when he “got a weapon and began firing indiscriminately,” Sheriff Eric Flowers said during a news conference. Halberstam, wounded by gunfire, died Nov. 22 in Lawnwood.
Long was in critical condition at HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce until he died just after 5:45 p.m. Nov. 23, according to the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office.
Who was David Long?
Damien Gilliams, owner of No Name Sports Bar and Smoke Shop in Sebastian, said he met Long in the late 1980s, but really got to know him in the 90s. He said Long had a heart of gold and always had a smile on his face.
“The community is going to miss him,” Gilliams said. “He was the No. 1 locksmith as far as I’m concerned.”
Long owned David Long Lock Service, Inc. on 10th Avenue.
Gilliams said in the hospitality business people are constantly changing locks because of a turnover of employees or the valuable items in the store. He said he always enjoyed seeing Long.
“He was more than a locksmith, he was a caring and generous guy, he was special,” he said. “I dealt with different locksmiths, Dave, he was my guy, I never hesitated to call him.”
He said Long was the kind of guy he could call at any time and he would show up.
“When he would arrive he would tell me a joke to get things started,” Gilliams said. “His work was superb, I never had to call Dave back.”
Gilliams remembers Long as a loving and generous guy who had a quirky way about himself.
“He was a business guy who did so much for this town and so much for this community,” he said.
Olivia Franklin is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Olivia on X @Livvvvv_5 or reach her by phone at 317-627-8048. E-mail her at olivia.franklin@tcpalm.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Who was David Long? Vero Beach locksmith at deputy shooting, later died
Reporting by Olivia Franklin, Treasure Coast Newspapers / Treasure Coast Newspapers
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