Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office, Florida
End of Watch Saturday, April 25, 2009
Add to My HeroesWarren Keith "Skip" York
Deputy Sheriff Skip York and Deputy Sheriff Burt Lopez were shot and killed while attempting to arrest a domestic violence suspect at a shooting range at 3985 US-90 in Crestview.
The deputies were following up on a domestic assault report they had taken hours earlier and located the suspect at a gun club in Crestview. The suspect was in the parking lot standing next to his truck. Deputy Lopez and Deputy York approached the man, had a brief conversation with him, and then informed him he was going to be arrested. As the deputies moved to handcuff him, he became uncooperative and began to resist arrest. Deputy York deployed his Taser and hit the suspect. The suspect dropped to the ground during the five-second jolt of electricity. When the Taser cycle ended, the man immediately drew a concealed handgun and opened fire. Deputy Lopez was able to radio for assistance while he and Deputy York engaged the man in a gun battle.
During the exchange of gunfire, Deputy Lopez was mortally wounded. The suspect then climbed into his truck to escape. Deputy York pulled the passenger-side door open and jumped inside in an effort to pull the man from the vehicle, but was shot and mortally wounded.
The man fled the scene and opened fire at deputies from the Walton County Sheriff's Office during a vehicle pursuit. The man's vehicle was rammed by deputies, causing it to flip over near the intersection of U.S. Highway 331 and U.S. 90 in DeFuniak Springs. The man exited the truck and opened fire at the deputies, who returned fire, killing him.
Deputy York and Deputy Lopez were airlifted to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. They succumbed to their injuries later in the day.
Deputy York was a U.S. Air Force veteran of the Persian Gulf War and had served with the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office for two years. He is survived by his wife and son.
Bio
- Age 44
- Tour 2 years
- Badge 260
- Military Veteran
Incident Details
- Cause Gunfire
- Weapon Gun; Unknown type
- Offender Shot and killed
Most Recent Reflection
View all 186 ReflectionsThank you for your service dad. I’m proud to be going through the academy and am excited to one day fill your shoes. You are loved and missed.
Michael York
Son of Skip York
February 6, 2022
Recent LODD Deaths

Deputy Sheriff Ned Byrd
Wake County Sheriff's Office, NC
EOW: August 11, 2022

Corporal Chad M. Beattie
Washington County Sheriff's Office, PA
EOW: August 10, 2022

Deputy Sheriff Andrew Peery
El Paso County Sheriff's Office, CO
EOW: August 7, 2022

Special Police Officer Maurica Manyan
District of Columbia Public Library Office of Public Safety, DC
EOW: August 4, 2022

Sergeant Jèan-Harold Astree
Fairburn Police Department, GA
EOW: July 28, 2022

Sergeant Matthew Fishman
Wayne County Sheriff's Office, NC
EOW: August 2, 2022

Supervising Fire Marshal John Joseph "Jack" McCauley
New York City Fire Department - Bureau of Fire Investigation, NY
EOW: May 28, 2022

Police Officer Noah Shahnavaz
Elwood Police Department, IN
EOW: July 31, 2022

Deputy Sheriff II Jamie Lynn Reynolds
Spalding County Sheriff's Office, GA
EOW: July 31, 2022