'Hearts Broken' After Cook County Deputy Sheriff Gunned Down On Vacation Abroad

CHICAGO, IL — A Cook County deputy sheriff died in a shooting near a bar while on vacation in Turks and Caicos on Saturday night, authorities said.

Deputy Sheriff Shamone Duncan was a 20-year veteran of the Department of Corrections assigned to Cermak Health Services, the sheriff's office said in a statement.

The department's staff's "hearts are broken" for her family, officials said.

"We are in contact with her family to provide any support they need during this difficult time and are supporting her colleagues as they process this terrible news," the statement read.

Duncan's family told The Chicago Tribune that she was sitting on the rooftop of Aziza Restaurant & Lounge when a stray bullet hit her.

Her sister told the outlet that she had just said how it was her best birthday ever, adding, "We were literally taking pictures for 10 to 15 minutes on the rooftop," and it "was just an amazing time.”

Right after, the group heard what they thought was fireworks, but they realized it was gunfire, and began to take cover, then Duncan stood up and was hit, her sister told the Tribune.

In a statement, Acting Commissioner Rodney Adams said that preliminary investigations revealed the police department's control room received reports of gunfire being heard "in the vicinity of" a bar along Grace Bay Road, and officers "were immediately deployed, along with medical personnel.

Three people were found shot, one of whom succumbed to injuries at the scene, while the other at the hospital, and a third person, a 29-year-old man, is undergoing medical treatment, he said.

He identified Duncan, 50, who was visiting, and Dario Stubbs, 30, a resident, as those killed in the shooting, and said that there is "no evidence to suggest" that they or the person who was wounded were the targets.

"I wish to take this opportunity to extend my deepest condolences to the relatives and friends of the deceased," he said, adding that the police force will continue to provide support resources to "those devastated" by the shooting.

"We condemn this violence and will remain resolute in our pursuit of the person(s) responsible for this despicable act," he said.

The department is appealing to anyone who may have been in the vicinity of the shooting to come forward with information.

"Witness accounts, video footage, or any details, no matter how small, could be critical to the investigation," Adams said.

Tips can be submitted to the Turks and Caicos Royal Police Force's Serious Crime Unit at 231-1842, or anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1800-8477, as well as the Crime Stoppers' P3 app.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.