INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla. — The Indian River County Sheriff's Office is preparing to honor the life and legacy of Sergeant Terri Sweeting-Mashkow, who was shot and killed in the line of duty on Nov. 21.
Her funeral will begin at 11 a.m. inside the Corporate Air Hangar on Airport Drive in Vero Beach, which the sheriff's office will be livestreaming via their Facebook and YouTube channels.
WATCH: Sheriff reflects on life, career of Sgt. Terri Sweeting-Mashkow
In a news conference Monday, Sheriff Eric Flowers said the ceremony is open to the public, but added there is only space for about 2,300 seats inside of the corporate air hangar with additional standing room only for another 1,000 people.
"You're talking 3,300, 3,500 people max that we're going to be able to put in there," said Flowers. "We know that there are agencies coming from all around the country to be a part of this, definitely from all around the state."
Flowers encouraged community members to take advantage of the livestream due to the limited seating, but said anyone attending in-person can arrive when gates open at 9 a.m.
Parking lanes will open at 10 a.m., with separate entrances for dignitaries, current employees and their families, other agencies, retirees, and the general public.
"We'll let as many cars that can park in there go in to park," said Flowers, noting that some guests will have reserved seating while the general public can sit until the venue reaches capacity — which will close five minutes before the ceremony begins.
"We just want to make sure that our guests that are coming in from out of state, our people that are coming in from other places, get to sit in the right place when this happens tomorrow," said Flowers. "And so hope you guys understand that. I hope the public understands that it's not a slight to anybody. We want everybody there."
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The funeral comes after Sweeting-Mashkow, two other deputies and a locksmith were serving an eviction notice to Michael Halberstam inside the Bermuda Club Somerset Bay community the morning of Nov. 21 when Halberstam opened fire.
The shooting killed Sweeting-Mashkow at the home and injured both locksmith David Long and Deputy Tino Arizpe.
Arizpe was later released from the hospital.
Long was flown to Lawnwood where he died and was later escorted to the funeral home with full honors.
"We're hurting, our agency is hurting, it's been a rough Thanksgiving," Flowers said.
The tragedy has resonated throughout communities across the region. At Nick's Family Restaurant in Vero Beach, the names of those killed are displayed proudly.
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"They were there, just doing their jobs," said co-owner Meggin Dimino. "You may not have heard any one of those names prior to all of this, but you're going to remember them," said Dimino.
At the sheriff's office, a memorial continues to grow as community members place flowers, signs and keepsakes in Sweeting-Mashkow's honor.
"We've had people just giving us prayer, giving us funds, giving us food, just giving us any kind of assistance," said Capt. Joe Abollo. "Our 911 center has been overwhelmed, and we had to establish a coordinator just to handle all the resources and support that’s coming into the agency."
"I just think everybody is so touched and devastated over this whole nightmare," said Sue Tomasulo.
At Rowdy Rooster Bar and Grill, dozens raised money for Sweeting-Mashkow's daughter, Haylee.
"What we're doing for her future is our way of giving and I know this is what her mother would want," said owner Nicole McDevitt.
In Miami Beach, police homicide Detective Danny Morales created memorial coins in her honor with all proceeds supporting her family.
"The design is actually made by her close friends," the detective said. "Her life was taken. It was uncalled for. It wasn't deserved."
For those who knew Sweeting-Mashkow personally, the grief remains raw.
WATCH: Vero Beach restaurant hosts fundraiser for daughter of fallen sergeant
"She was downright the most amazing person you could find. She'd do anything for you," said friend Tammy Knudsen. "She'd give you the shirt off her back."
"From the day I first met her, she has always been that type of person that whatever you need, she's going to help you, she'll give it to you, or if she can't, she'll find somebody to help you," said acquaintance Brendan Guthrie.
The fallen sergeant leaves behind a husband, children, and friends who remember her as selfless and loyal, with a heart as big as her love for family and her dogs.
"Today our number one focus is honoring Terri Sweeting-Mashkow," Flowers said. "Terri has been here my entire career, you know, she's been with us 25 years. She was one of those steady hands in the mix every single day. She was one of those people that you could count on, no matter what, you knew she would always be there for you. She was a friend of everyone."
And perhaps that's part of the reason even those who never knew her keep coming with flowers and prayers. There's a reason they line the streets in her honor.
Sweeting-Mashkow's story is about courage. It's about service. It's about the idea that someone woke up one morning, put on a uniform, and chose to protect strangers — yet never came home.
"She made the ultimate sacrifice and it could have been any one of us," said Flowers. "We've got a lot of people who are really hurting right now, and we're going to going to continue to try and help them and lean into each other and focus on what's the best thing for our agency and our community to get us through this tragedy."
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