(CNN) Two deputies were killed Thursday when a man walked up to them in a Florida restaurant while they were eating and opened fire, a Gilchrist County Sheriff's Office spokesman said.

Sgt. Noel Ramirez and Deputy Taylor Lindsey were eating at the Ace China restaurant in Trenton, a small town about 30 miles west of Gainesville.

Sgt. Noel Ramirez

The sheriff's office initially said the gunman shot the deputies through a window from outside the restaurant, but spokesman Scott Tummond clarified that account Friday, saying the gunman was actually inside when he opened fire.

Deputy Taylor Lindsey

"Both our heroes had simply sat down to eat while on duty," Gilchrist County Sheriff Bobby Schultz said Thursday night. "There was no crime in progress, no disturbance."

The deputies were in uniform and armed when they were shot, Tummond said, but they did not return fire.

Read More</s>Two deputies were killed when a man shot at them through a window while they were eating at a Chinese restaurant in Trenton, Florida, on Thursday afternoon.

A gunman walked up to Ace China Restaurant and shot at Sgt. Noel Ramirez, 30, and Deputy Taylor Lindsay, 25, about 3 p.m., according to the Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office, where the deputies worked.

The adult male gunman was found dead outside the restaurant, Sheriff Robert D. Schultz said during a news conference. Officials did not release the man’s identity or cause of death.

Investigators do not know what the shooter’s motive was, and Schultz said there are no “indications as to why this tragedy occurred.”

Schultz called the gunman a “coward” and told reporters, “I do not have answers as to why this happened.”

“The world is full of cowards and the world is full of heroes,” Schultz added. “We need to highlight those heroes and what they gave.”

Schultz also suggested that the shooting may have occurred because of an animosity for police officers.

“What do you expect to happen when you demonize law enforcement to the extent that it’s been demonized?” Schultz said during the news conference.

Ramirez, a seven-year veteran of the department, was married and had children, according to officials. Lindsey joined the department two years ago and had a girlfriend.

Ramirez and Lindsey were “the best of the best,” Schultz said. “They were men of integrity, men of loyalty. They’re God-fearing and they loved what they did. They gave their lives so that we can all be safe.”

Trenton is a small city 50 miles west of Gainesville, with a population of 2,315, according to the latest available census data.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott said in a statement that he and his wife “are heartbroken” over the deputies’ deaths.

“It is true evil for anyone to hurt a law enforcement officer, and in Florida, we have zero tolerance for violence, especially against the police.”</s>Two Florida sheriff’s deputies were killed Thursday, shot through the window of a Chinese restaurant as they shared a meal, The Gainesville Sun reported. The man who allegedly shot the Gilchrist County deputies was found dead in a car outside the restaurant, authorities said.

Deputy Taylor Lindsey, 25, and Sgt. Noel Ramirez, 29, were eating at the Ace China restaurant in Trenton at 3 p.m. when they were shot, according to a Sheriff’s Office statement.

The Sheriff’s Office identified the shooter as John Hubert Highnote, 59, of Bell, Florida. Deputies responding to the shooting found Highnote dead from a gunshot wound, the statement said.

Lindsey had a girlfriend, while Ramirez was a seven-year veteran and was married with two children, Gilchrist County Sheriff Bobby Schultz said.

Schultz called the shooter “a coward,” while Bill Cervone, state attorney for Florida’s 8th Judicial Circuit, called the act “inexplicable.”

"It appears (the shooter) just walked up and shot them, then went to his car and shot himself. It’s inexplicable ... people will want to know why and we may never have an answer for them," Cervone told the Sun.

“Sgt. Ramirez and Deputy Lindsay were the best of the best,” Schultz said at a news conference. “They’re men of integrity, they’re men of loyalty, they are God-fearing and they loved what they did. We are very proud of them.”

Schultz added that he did not want to make his remarks political, but said “What do you expect when you demonize law enforcement to the extent it has been demonized?”

The shooting was not prompted by any incident in the restaurant, the Sun reported.

In a statement, Florida Gov. Rick Scott said he was “heartbroken.”

"It is true evil for anyone to hurt a law enforcement officer, and in Florida, we have zero tolerance for violence, especially against the police," Scott said.

President Donald Trump and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio tweeted their condolences.</s>The man who killed two Florida sheriff’s deputies walked into a Chinese restaurant and shot them to death while they were eating, according to new information from the Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office.

The shooter then left the restaurant and was found dead in a vehicle from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the sheriff’s office said in a press release Friday.

The victims, Sgt. Noel Ramirez, 29, and Deputy Taylor Lindsey, 25, were found dead by deputies who later arrived at the scene.

Authorities initially said that the gunman, identified as John Hubert Highnote, 58, had shot the uniformed men through a window at the Ace China restaurant in Trenton, citing visible bullet holes in the glass.

An investigation later revealed Highnote had walked into the restaurant.

“I’m not sure exactly where in the restaurant they were seated but they were inside the restaurant having a meal when they were ambushed," Sgt. Brett Rhodenizer told the Daily News Friday.

Highnote had no prior history with the Gilchrist Sheriff’s Office, authorities said.

“It appears he just walked up and shot them, then went to his car and shot himself. It’s inexplicable,” said State Attorney Bill Cervon, according to News 4 Jax. “People will want to know why, and we may never have an answer for them,” he added.

Gilchrist County Sheriff Bobby Schultz blamed the killings on hatred toward law enforcement.

“What do you expect happens when you demonize law enforcement to the extent it’s been demonized? Every type of hate, every type of putdown you can think of,” Schultz said at a press conference Thursday.

A construction worker who witnessed the shooting said that Highnote emerged from the restaurant “calm as can be,” WFLA reported.

Sgt. Ramirez had seven years of law enforcement experience and leaves behind a wife and two young children.

Deputy Lindsey served for more than three years and leaves behind a girlfriend.

Schultz described them as “men of integrity, men of loyalty.”

“They gave their lives so that we can all be safe,” he said.</s>Two sheriff’s deputies were shot and killed Thursday in a restaurant in Trenton, Florida, in what appeared to be an ambush, officials said.

The shooting occured at 3 p.m. at the Ace China restaurant when a man walked passed a window and shot both through the glass, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement made on behalf of the Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office.

“As fellow deputies responded to the scene, they found the shooter deceased outside the business,” the statement read.

The deceased deputies were identified as Sgt. Noel Ramirez, 30, and Deputy Sheriff Taylor Lindsey, 25. The gunman was John Hubert Highnote, 59. – READ MORE</s>TRENTON, Fla. -- A gunman fired inside a north Florida restaurant Thursday afternoon, killing two deputies who were getting food, officials said. Gilchrist County Sheriff Bobby Schultz identified the slain deputies during a news conference as Sgt. Noel Ramirez, 30, and Deputy Taylor Lindsey, 25.

The deputies were getting food at the Ace China restaurant in Trenton when the shooter opened fire, Schultz said. Fellow deputies responding to the scene found the shooter dead outside the business.

The sheriff's office initially said the two officers were shot through a window in the restaurant by a man outside. On Friday afternoon they corrected that detail in a statement, saying they were shot by the suspect from inside the business. Both deputies were on duty and in uniform.

"Our deputies were ambushed. They were unable to return fire," the statement said.

There is no apparent motive for the shooting, but according to CBS affiliate WGCL, authorities have identified the shooter as John Hubert Highnote, 59, of Bell, Fla. According to Friday's statement from the sheriff's office, Highnote was found dead with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound inside his car, which was parked at the restaurant.

"Sgt. Ramirez and Deputy Lindsey were the best of the best," Schultz said. "They were men of integrity, men of loyalty. They were God-fearing, and they loved what they did, and we are very proud of them."

"I don't have answers as to why this happened," Schultz said, noting the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating. Schultz said the 29-year-old Ramirez was a 7-year-veteran who was married with children. Lindsay was 25 years old. A statement released Thursday night said the men simply sat down to eat and that there was no crime in progress and no disturbance, WGFL reports.

Schultz said he rushed to the scene as soon as he heard about the shooting. He said it's important to remember that attacks like Thursday's can happen anywhere, even in small cities like Trenton.

"After 26 years of doing this, there is nothing that can prepare you for senseless deaths," Schultz said.

Schultz said he talked to both families.

"As you expect you can never be prepared for something like this, but make no mistake I'm proud of their families," Schultz said. "They understood when their loved ones pinned on the badge and they strapped on the gun that this was a possibility."

Ramirez, he said, had an infectious smile. He said both were excited about participating in the First Responder Olympics. "Sgt. Ramirez and Deputy Lindsey were the best of the best. They were men of integrity. They were men of loyalty. They're god fearing and they loved what they did."

Trenton is in northern Florida, about 35 miles west of Gainesville.</s>FLORIDA — Two deputies were killed at a restaurant in Florida by a shooter who fired through a window and was found dead outside the business, the Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.

The deputies were at the Ace China restaurant in the small town of Trenton when they were shot around 3 p.m.

“At this point, it remains an active criminal investigation with no apparent motive or indications as to why this tragedy occurred,” the department said on Facebook.

According to the department’s website, there are 14 full-time deputies in the patrol division.

“My thoughts, prayers and condolences are with the families, friends and colleagues of the two @GCSOFlorida deputies (HEROES) who lost their lives in the line of duty today,” President Donald Trump tweeted.

Authorities said Sheriff Bobby Schultz would give a news conference Thursday evening. The sheriff has been speaking with the families affected, the department said.

Trenton, a town with 2,300 residents, is about 30 miles west of Gainesville.</s>The Latest on the shooting deaths of two Florida sheriff's deputies on Thursday (all times local):

Authorities in Florida say the man who shot two sheriff's deputies to death at a restaurant earlier this week had entered the establishment before firing the weapon.

Earlier reports had said the Gilchrest County deputies were shot through a window from the outside the restaurant in Trenton, west of Gainesville.

Gilchest County deputies Sgt. Noel Ramirez and Deputy Taylor Lindsey were killed at the Ace China restaurant. Officials say 58-year-old John Hubert Highnote of Bell shot them before killing himself.

Alachua County Lt. Scott Tummond said at a news conference Friday that the shooter entered the restaurant and immediately opened fire, leaving the deputies with no time to react.

Authorities in neighboring Alachua County have been acting as public information officers on behalf of Gilchrist County.

Tummond said the Gilchrist County Sheriff's Office had no previous interaction with Bell.

Authorities say two Florida sheriff's deputies were shot dead through the window of a Chinese restaurant by a man who then killed himself.

The shooter was identified as a man from a small town just up the road from the restaurant, and his motive wasn't immediately known, but the sheriff blamed Thursday's killings on hatred toward law enforcement.

"What do you expect happens when you demonize law enforcement to the extent it's been demonized? Every type of hate, every type of put-down you can think of," Gilchrist County Sheriff Bobby Schultz said at a news conference.

This shooter was a "coward," the sheriff said.

"The only thing these men were guilty of is wanting to protect you and me. They just wanted to get something to eat, and they just wanted to do their job," he said.

President Donald Trump called the slain deputies "HEROES" in a tweet sharing his condolences with their friends, families and colleagues.

Sgt. Noel Ramirez, 30, and Deputy Taylor Lindsey, 25, were killed while getting food at the Ace China restaurant in Trenton, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) west of Gainesville.

The shooter, found dead in a car outside, was identified as John Hubert Highnote, 58, of Bell, a small town just up the road.

"It appears he just walked up and shot them, then went to his car and shot himself. It's inexplicable," State Attorney Bill Cervone said. "People will want to know why, and we may never have an answer for them."

"Sgt. Ramirez and Deputy Lindsey were the best of the best," Schultz said. "They were men of integrity, men of loyalty. They were God-fearing, and they loved what they did, and we are very proud of them."

Schultz said he rushed to the scene, and then had the difficult task of calling the families of Ramirez, who is survived by his wife and two young children, and Lindsey, who joined the sheriff's office in 2013.</s>Two Gilchrist County sheriff’s deputies were ambushed and killed Thursday by a gunman who may have taken his own life.

The deputies, 29-year-old Sgt. Noel Ramirez and 25-year-old Taylor Lindsey, were eating at Ace China restaurant around 3 pm when the gunman opened fire on them through a window. Both deputies were killed.

The Washington Post quoted Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office saying, “Both our heroes had simply sat down to eat while on duty. There was no crime in progress, no disturbance. The suspect appears to have walked to the front of the business and shot both men without warning. Two holes in the window are visible tonight.”

Gilchrist County Sheriff Robert Schultz addressed the incident, saying, “I don’t have answers to why this happened.

Responding deputies found the gunman dead outside the restaurant, he was identified as 59-year-old John Highnote.

NPR reports Sheriff Schultz refused to confirm whether Highnote killed himself. Rather, Schultz said, “I want this to be about those deputy sheriffs, I think that you can respect that. The world’s full of cowards, and the world’s full of heroes. We need to highlight those heroes, and what they gave.”

Although no motive for the shooting was reported, Schultz did address the energy many protesters expend in criticizing law enforcement. He said, “What do you expect happens when you demonize law enforcement to the extent that it’s been demonized? The only thing these men were guilty of was wanting to protect you and me. They just wanted to go get something to eat. And they just wanted to do their job.”

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News, the host of the Breitbart podcast Bullets with AWR Hawkins, and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. Sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.</s>April 19 (UPI) -- A gunman shot and killed two Florida deputies while they were eating at a Chinese restaurant Thursday, the Gilchrist County Sheriff's Office said.

The officers died while at the Ace China restaurant in downtown Trenton, Fla., at around 3 p.m.

According to the sheriff's office, a suspect walked up to the restaurant and shot both deputies through the window.

Gilchrist County Sheriff Bobby Schultz identified the two officers as Noel Ramirez, 30, and Taylor Lindsey, 25.

"They were men of integrity. They were God-fearing, and they loved what they did. They gave their lives so we can all be safe. They just wanted to get something to eat. They just wanted to do their jobs," he said during a news conference Thursday evening. "I'm proud to have been their sheriff."

Fellow deputies responded to the scene after the shooting and found the shooter dead outside the building, the Alachua County Sheriff's Office said.

"At this point, it remains an active criminal investigation with no apparent motive or indications as to why this tragedy occurred," the Alachua County Sheriff's Office said. "Sheriff Bobby Schultz has been on scene throughout the afternoon with his deputies and their families, notifying additional loved ones."

The Gilchrist County Sheriff's Office urged citizens to avoid the area near the restaurant, adding no suspects are at large.

U.S. President Donald Trump offered condolences to the two deputies on Twitter Thursday.

"My thoughts, prayers and condolences are with the families, friends and colleagues of the two [Gilchrist County Sheriff's Office] deputies (HEROES) who lost their lives in the line of duty today," Trump Wrote
Two deputies are shot dead at a Chinese restaurant in Trenton, Florida, in what appears to be a targeted killing. The gunman was found dead outside the restaurant.