Michael Delmar, 41. killed his wife, Katie Delmar, 42, in a domestic violence incident before shooting and killing himself, according to the incident report from the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office.
Michael began choking, Katie with a gun in his hand, according to the incident report. He drug her into the living room, where he shot her in the stomach, leg and back. She ultimately died of her wounds, and Michael then shot and killed himself.
Three children were in the home at the time of the shooting, two transported with non-life-threatening injuries, Sheriff Bob Johnson said. In the incident report, one child had a gunshot wound. Johnson said the children are ages 4, 8, and 13.
“When we see a family destroyed in this manner, and all the things that could happen that didn’t… These are my citizens and every time we lose a citizen it hurts, and when we lose two at once, obviously that’s even worse,” Johnson said.
The sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the home after receiving a call from an off-duty Okaloosa County sheriff’s deputy, who heard shots fired and had a juvenile at his door with a gunshot wound.
Johnson said the sheriff’s office had responded to domestic calls at that address twice prior, in 2015 and 2022. However, both were classified as verbal-only disputes so there were no arrests made.
“I can tell you the children are safe now with family members, and that’s the main thing now is to get them counseling and get them help. Their lives will never be the same,” Johnson said.
The Adrian Way neighborhood was evacuated for about an hour during the investigation.
Johnson said no motive is known for the shooting.
“If you’re religious, and I am, I would tell you to pray for that family. They are going to need your prayers,” Johnson said. “I can’t imagine what they’re going through.”
