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John Hubert Highnote, of Bell, Florida, has been identified as the 59-year-old who shot and killed two Florida deputies on Thursday, April 19. According to the Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office said, Highnote walked up to the window of a Florida restaurant where they were eating and shot them. Highnote killed himself in his car shortly after the murder.
The victims, identified as Sgt. Noel Ramirez, 30, & Deputy Taylor Lindsey, 25, were killed at the Ace China restaurant in Trenton, Florida.State Attorney Bill Cervone said that it appears Highnote “just walked up and shot them, then went to his car and shot himself.”
“People will want to know why, and we may never have an answer for them,” Cervone said.
Gilchrist County Sheriff Bobby Schultz said at a news conference that state law enforcement officials are currently investigating. Furthermore, Sheriff Schultz said that Ramirez and Lindsey were the “best of the best” and called Highnote a “coward”.
via Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office:
At approximately 3:00pm this afternoon (Thursday, April 20), two Gilchrist County Deputy Sheriffs were shot and killed in the Ace China restaurant in downtown Trenton, after a suspect walked up to business and shot both deputies through the window. As fellow deputies responded to the scene, they found the shooter deceased outside the business, and both Deputy Sheriffs where they died of their wounds.
At this point, it remains an active criminal investigation with no apparent motive or indications as to why this tragedy occurred. Sheriff Bobby Schultz has been on scene throughout the afternoon with his deputies and their families, notifying additional loved ones, and will be speaking to the media at 7:00pm EDT.
A Media Staging Area has been established in front of Duke Energy (not related to the incident) at 1532 East Wade Street in Trenton, Florida. Requests for footage of the scene will be accommodated and updated briefing times provided as soon as they are available. Officials from the Levy County Sheriff’s Office, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the State Attorney’s Office have all responded to the area to assist.
President Trump offered his condolences on Twitter:
Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of Sgt. Noel Ramirez & Deputy Taylor Lindsey. May they rest in peace.
Sgt. Noel Ramirez & Deputy Taylor Lindsey