TAMPA, Fla. — For anyone who happens to find themselves wondering why flags are at half-staff on Saturday, there are honoring a fallen Okaloosa County corporal.
Florida Gov. DeSantis' office announced on Thursday that U.S. flags will be at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Saturday, Dec. 31 at specific locations, including:
- Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office in Crestview, Florida
- Okaloosa County Courthouse in Crestview, Florida
- City Hall of Crestview, Florida
The flags will be honoring "the memory of Corporal Ray Hamilton and his service to our state," the governor explained in a news release.
On Saturday, Dec. 24, Corporal Ray Hamilton died from the injuries he sustained in the line of duty while responding to a domestic violence incident. He served the community for the last almost six years in Okaloosa County.
In his time working with the sheriff’s office, he received two life-saving awards.
"Corporal Hamilton will be remembered for his selfless courage to protect the lives of others at the cost of his own," the governor's office wrote in a statement.
