Last week, Okaloosa Sheriff Eric Aden and Renee Hamilton were surrounded by family and friends as they unveiled Corporal Ray Hamilton’s granite memorial at the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Administration Building.

Renee was also presented with the Honor and Sacrifice flag from several residents of Biscayne Point in Navarre who came together to sponsor an Honor and Sacrifice flag for Cpl. Ray Hamilton’s next-of-kin, according to the OCSO. 

• The Honor and Sacrifice flag is a personalized flag honoring fallen first responders and each flag is personalized to the fallen service member or first responder.

As previously reported, Cpl. Ray Hamilton lost his life on Saturday, December 24 when a domestic violence suspect opened fire on responding deputies from inside his residence.

• When deputies arrived to the home in Fort Walton Beach, the subject barricaded himself inside the home and refused to cooperate with authorities. In response, the Sheriff’s Office called in their Special Response Team, of which Corporal Ray Hamilton was a member. 

Despite efforts by the crisis negotiation team to peacefully resolve the situation, the individual inside chose to use deadly force and shot Corporal Hamilton, according to Sheriff Aden. Hamilton was rushed to the hospital, but unfortunately succumbed to his injuries.

Corporal Hamilton joined the OCSO in 2017, starting out as a part-time employee before becoming a full-timer and eventually a crime scene investigator. He quickly rose through the ranks and was promoted to corporal in November of last year, according to Aden.

In addition to his duties as a field training officer, Corporal Hamilton was also a member of the Special Response Team and had received two lifesaving awards. In 2019, he talked a woman off of a roof and saved her life, and in March of last year he performed CPR to save another person’s life.

• He was also recognized for his efforts on the D.U.I. Task Force, receiving the Excellence Award for his work.