April 20, 20188:00 AM ET

Bill Chappell
Twitter

Sgt. Noel Ramirez (left) and Deputy Taylor Lindsey were shot and killed after sitting down to eat at a Chinese restaurant in Gilchrist County, Fla.
Gilchrist County Sheriff's Office

A gunman shot and killed two sheriff's deputies in a restaurant in Gilchrist County, Fla., on Thursday, in an attack that seems to have come with no warning.

Sgt. Noel Ramirez, 30, and Deputy Taylor Lindsey, 25, were shot through the window. The gunman was later found dead nearby.

Sheriff Bobby Schultz called the two deputies "the best of the best," adding, "They're men of integrity, they're men of loyalty. They're God-fearing, and they loved what they did. And we're very proud of them."

The deputies were on duty and had sat down to eat at the Ace China restaurant in Trenton around 3 p.m. when a gunman started firing at them from outside, the Gilchrist County Sheriff's Office said.

"Both our heroes had simply sat down to eat while on duty," the sheriff's office said. "There was no crime in progress, no disturbance. The suspect appears to have walked to the front of the business and shot both men without warning. Two holes in the window are visible tonight."

Deputies and others who responded to an emergency call about the shooting found a man believed to be the gunman nearby, dead from a gunshot wound. He was identified as 59-year-old John Hubert Highnote, 59, of Bell, Fla. — a nearby town in the northern Florida county.

When a reporter asked Schultz to confirm whether Highnote had committed suicide in his car near the restaurant, the sheriff declined to comment, citing both an ongoing state investigation into the killings and his own perspective.

"I want this to be about those deputy sheriffs, I think that you can respect that," Schultz said at a media gathering late Thursday afternoon. He added, "The world's full of cowards, and the world's full of heroes. We need to highlight those heroes, and what they gave."

Ramirez was a seven-year veteran of law enforcement who had a wife and two young children. Lindsey had worked with the force for a total of more than three years; he had recently returned to working at the sheriff's office.

"It was just surreal" to get the call about the attack on the deputies, Schultz said.

He added, "Whether you're a large agency or a small agency, it hits you like a ton of bricks."

A possible motive for the shooting has not been released. Twice during his media briefing on Thursday, Sheriff Schultz mentioned negative public attitudes about law enforcement officers.

"What do you expect happens when you demonize law enforcement to the extent that it's been demonized?" he asked at one point.

Schultz added, "The only thing these men were guilty of was wanting to protect you and me. They just wanted to go get something to eat. And they just wanted to do their job."

The department has received numerous condolences and messages of support, including from President Trump, who said, "My thoughts, prayers and condolences are with the families, friends and colleagues" of the slain deputies.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott said, "My wife, Ann, and I are heartbroken by the loss of two law enforcement officers in Trenton," adding that he has committed state resources to help the Gilchrist County Sheriff's Office.

Scott added, "It is true evil for anyone to hurt a law enforcement officer, and in Florida, we have zero tolerance for violence, especially against the police."

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/04/20/604264064/2-sheriffs-deputies-are-killed-while-eating-in-a-florida-restaurant

another report:

Two Florida deputies killed in apparent ambush

Investigators say the gunman fired at the deputies through a restaurant window; Jonathan Serrie has updates from Atlanta.

Two sheriff’s deputies were shot and killed Thursday in a restaurant in Trenton, Florida, in what appeared to be an ambush, officials said.

The shooting occurred at 3 p.m. at the Ace China restaurant when a man walked past a window and shot both through the glass, the Alachua County Sheriff's Office said in a statement made on behalf of the Gilchrist County Sheriff's Office.

"As fellow deputies responded to the scene, they found the shooter deceased outside the business," the statement read.

Gilchrist County Sheriff Bobby Schultz said Thursday night it was unclear if the gunman had killed himself. A motive for the shooting wasn't immediately revealed.

The men were "killed in the line of duty," authorities said. (Gilchrist County Sheriff's Office)

The deceased deputies were identified as Sgt. Noel Ramirez, 30, and Deputy Sheriff Taylor Lindsey, 25. The gunman was John Hubert Highnote, 59.

Ramirez and Lindsay "were the best of the best," Schultz said.

"They don't need to be remembered strictly for their untimely death but they need to be remembered for the type of people that they are," he added. "And that's good individuals, good deputy sheriffs."

Sergeant Noel Ramirez. Deputy Sheriff Taylor Lindsey.

Our heroes. Killed in the line of duty today, April 19th, at the Ace China in Trenton.

We'll continue to serve you. For them.

— Gilchrist Co Sheriff (@GCSOFlorida) April 20, 2018

Schultz said he knew both men personally and said he "loved them."

The department will grieve and be upset, Schultz said, but the department will "honor these men by doing our jobs. We will honor them by doing what we're supposed to do."

Trenton is about two hours southwest of Jacksonville.
Trenton Scene

The shooting incident occurred at a restaurant in Trenton, Fla., officials said. (Debbie Busser)

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a statement saying, “My heart breaks with the tragic news of two Gilchrist County deputies that were senselessly killed today while in the line of duty.”

“The daily risk that law enforcement officers take to protect our communities is overwhelming,” Bondi’s statement continued. “My deepest condolences and prayers are with their families as they mourn the devastating loss of their loved ones. May their families, friends and fellow officers find peace and comfort during this very difficult time.”

The Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office tweeted it had “suffered a terrible tragedy.” The office said there were no suspects “at large” and asked the public to stay away from the area.

My thoughts, prayers and condolences are with the families, friends and colleagues of the two @GCSOFlorida deputies (HEROES) who lost their lives in the line of duty today.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 19, 2018

Gov. Rick Scott in a statement said he and his wife "are heartbroken by the loss of the two law enforcement officers in Trenton."

"It is a true evil for anyone to hurt a law enforcement officer, and in Florida, we have zero tolerance for violence, especially against police," he continued. "Tonight, I ask every Floridian to honor these law enforcement officers, their brothers and sisters in uniform and their families. May God bless those who work to keep our communities safe."

President Trump offered his condolences to "the families, friends and colleagues of the two @GCSOFlorida deputies (HEROES) who lost their lives in the line of duty today."

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/04/20/2-florida-deputies-killed-in-apparent-ambush-at-restaurant-suspect-dead.html