By Elliott Jones
Treasure Coast Newspapers
GIFFORD, Fla. — Makhail Malik Chambliss has been arrested in connection with the shooting death of Corrections Deputy Garry Chambliss. He’s charged with felony discharge of a firearm from a vehicle.
He is a “distant relative” of Garry Chambliss, said Lt. Eric Flowers, spokesman for the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office.
Makhail Chambliss, 21, of the 4400 block of 27th Avenue, Gifford, is unemployed and lives a block from where the shooting occurred, according to his arrest information. He is in the Indian River County Jail with no bond. Deputies are still searching for a second suspect.
Relatives of slain Garry Chambliss on Saturday are still reeling from the death of their beloved family member, who died after being shot Friday night.
Relatives said the off-duty deputy was visiting family at his cousin Darrell Chambliss’ house in the 4400 block of 28th Avenue in Gifford. Garry Chambliss was standing near the road when gunfire rang out about 9:30 p.m. about a block south of the home.
Relatives said Garry Chambliss yelled for everyone to “get low” as the sounds of bullets passed by. He pushed a cousin out of the way, but then also fell. He made it about 20 feet, then collapsed in the home’s driveway.
Darrell Chambliss came out to see what was going on. He said he turned on the lights and that’s when he saw his cousin on the pavement.
Darrell Chambliss said he had been watching a football game when a niece ran into the house.
“‘Get down! There’s a shooting down this road. I can hear and see the bullets,’” he said she told him. That’s when he went outside and found his cousin, the deputy, on the ground.
Garry Chambliss was a single father of two daughters, relatives said.
He was a “fun-loving man, always smiling,” said cousin Ozie Allen, 32, of Gifford. “He was always positive, and would do anything for his family.” She said she last saw him about a week ago.
Garry Chambliss worked for 27 1/2 years with the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office, and planned to retire in 2 1/2 years. He looked forward to buying an RV and traveling the country, said Lt. Eric Flowers, Sheriff’s Office spokesman. In the 1990s, he worked in community policing. More recently, he was transportation director for the Indian River County Jail.
The shooting happened in a residential area with small homes and rental apartments, just a block south of Gifford Middle School.
Two suspects in the shooting were seen leaving the area in a black Chevrolet Camaro, according to sheriff’s officials. Deputies stopped the vehicle at Powerline Road and County Road 510, where they took Makhail Chambliss into custody early Saturday.
___ (c)2017 the Treasure Coast Newspapers