OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. -- The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office awarded a Purple Heart to the widow of a fallen deputy Wednesday afternoon.

Deputy Corporal Ray Hamilton was killed on Christmas Eve while responding to a domestic violence call in Fort Walton Beach.

He was shot through a window by a suspect while serving an arrest warrant for a domestic battery charge.

Sheriff Eric Aiden presented the medal to Hamilton's widow, Renee.

The award honors any sworn member of the agency who sustains serious or permanent injury while engaged in law enforcement action.

On December 24th, 2022, while serving on the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team, Corporal Ray Hamilton sustained such an injury and made the highest sacrifice. In honor of Ray’s selfless sacrifice while protecting the citizens of Okaloosa County, he is posthumously awarded the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Purple Heart. The memory of his honorable service will live on in our hearts and traditions.

Timothy price-Williams -- the man charged in Hamilton's death -- is scheduled to be back in court April 10.