An off-duty police officer was shot and killed at a Circle K station in Ormond-by-the-Sea on Monday, the Volusia Sheriff’s Office has confirmed. 45-year-old David Jewell, an employee of the Edgewater Police Department, was shot in the head by 24-year-old Eduardo Labrada Machado according to law enforcement.
The incident began when Jewell is said to have walked into the Circle K at around 4:08 pm on Monday. Machado is an employee of this gas station. The VSO says that surveillance footage captured Machado walked out to his car after Jewell entered. He reportedly brings back a jacket, from which he pulls a gun and shoots Jewell in the head multiple times.
“The video is probably something that in 38 years of law enforcement, that I can tell you- it’s unbelievable what you see in that video,” said Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood of the surveillance footage.
Initial reports on the shooting say that Machado confessed to the murder to law enforcement. He was booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail early Tuesday morning on no bond, charged with first degree premeditated murder. The firearm believed to have been used was found in Machado’s car after the shooting.
Who is Suspect Eduardo Labrada Machado?
Machado and Jewell are said to have known one another prior to the shooting, with Machado reportedly telling the VSO there’d been an argument between the two in the past. He reportedly said he’d have a bad day up to that point, and that he’d been thinking about shooting Jewell. Upon seeing Jewell come into the store, the VSO says Machado told them he went to get a recently-purchased handgun to kill him. There was not any conversation prior to the shooting. Machado also reportedly said he wasn’t aware Jewell was a law enforcement officer.
The VSO released further details about Machado from their initial investigation. From interviews with his family, they’ve confirmed he’s been diagnosed with a mental health disorder. This disorder was described as including ‘hearing voices’ as a symptom. Machado has no criminal history. His only law enforcement incident was a 2023 complaint that he’d been firing guns in Ormond Beach’s Tomoka State Park. He was also described as being ‘quiet’ and an avid video gamer.
Reactions to David Jewell’s Death
Since his death, David Jewell is being remembered by friends and colleagues from various stages in his life and career. He once worked with the Volusia Sheriff’s Office as a telecommunicator prior to joining the EPD. “David was a guy that we could rely on for anything, never heard a bad thing about him, and he’s going to be a tremendous loss to the Edgewater Police Department,” said Edgewater Acting Police Chief Charles Geiger.
“Senseless and shocking to everyone who knew David,” added Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood. “Thank you to all who responded fast and worked diligently on this investigation to ensure we can pursue justice on behalf of David and his family.”
The investigation into David Jewell’s shooting is ongoing as of Tuesday afternoon. Further information on the case will be included with this and/or subsequent reports.
