Store clerk accused of killing off-duty Florida officer in shooting; Jacksonville sheriff responds

Circle K employee Eduardo Labrada Machado, 24, was booked at the Volusia County Branch Jail on a charge of first-degree murder in Monday's fatal shooting of David Jewell. — Eduardo Labrada Machado, a 24-year-old Circle K employee, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder for the fatal shooting of David Jewell on Monday. Jewell, an Edgewater police officer, was off-duty.

Machado confessed to the murder, stating he had seen Jewell in the store several times and believed they had an argument in the past, though he could not recall details, according to a Volusia County social media post Tuesday morning.

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Machado did not know Jewell was a police officer and claimed to have been afraid of him after seeing him with a firearm, the post states.

Critical incident stress support is being provided to colleagues of Jewell.

Machado, who has lived in the United States for 10 years as a legal resident with a green card, was having a bad day on his drive to work and thought about shooting Jewell earlier, the social media post states.

Upon seeing Jewell at the store, Machado used a handgun he recently purchased to shoot him multiple times at close range. Interviews with Machado’s family revealed he had been diagnosed with a mental health disorder and had indicated he was hearing voices. Despite this, his family was unaware of any homicidal threats or anti-law enforcement ideologies, according to the Volusia County sheriff.

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The murder weapon was found inside a jacket in the back seat of Machado’s vehicle. Machado does not have a criminal history, though he had a prior encounter with law enforcement in 2023 regarding a weapons complaint at Tomoka State Park.

David Jewell was a former Volusia County telecommunicator and had been serving as an Edgewater police officer since 2023.

Machado is being held without bond as the investigation continues, with evidence being processed and analyzed, according to the Volusia County sheriff.

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The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters issued the following statement on Jewell’s death:

“We are heartbroken over the tragic death of Edgewater Police Officer David Jewell, who was shot and killed while off duty in Volusia County last night.

“Officer Jewell was a true public servant who cared for his community and worked to make it a safer place.

Our hearts are with his family, friends, and brothers and sisters in blue. We stand with the Edgewater Police Department during this difficult time."

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