The Volusia County Sheriff's Office K-9 that was fatally shot Nov. 22 during a confrontation between deputies and a suspect was fatally shot by friendly fire, deputies said Thursday.

  • Volusia Sheriff's K-9 Forest was fatally shot Nov. 22
  • The K-9 died from friendly fire, deputies said
  • Eddie Powell arrested on several charges

Eddie Durell Powell, 34, was taken into custody Nov. 23 after more than 19 hours on the run. He is thought to be a transient in the Deltona area, deputies said. He is originally from Georgia.

Information obtained during the investigation confirmed Powell was armed with a gun both during the initial shooting on Nov. 22, as well as the subsequent shooting the following day that that ended after Powell was taken into custody.

However, deputies said there is no evidence "at this time" that Powell fired his weapon. During the initial shooting on Nov. 22, two deputies fired their weapons as Powell punched and fought with K-9 Forest while pointing a gun at one of the deputies, a report states.

"It has been determined that Forest was tragically killed by friendly fire, sustaining two gunshot wounds during the incident," said Gary Davidson, a public information officer with the Volusia County Sheriff's Office.

It is unknown which deputy fired the rounds that struck the K-9.

"Sadly, unintended consequences sometimes occur in shooting situations," Volusia County Sheriff Ben Johnson said in a statement. "This doesn't change the fact that Forest died a hero while trying to subdue a dangerous gunman. Our deputies were put into a deadly threat situation and were forced to defend themselves. As far as I'm concerned. Eddie Powell is responsible for the death of Forest just as surely as if he had pulled the trigger."

Forest was 2-years-old and was on the force for about one year.

Powell was booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach on charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer and operating an unregistered vehicle. He is also being held on a probation violation out of Georgia.

The Sheriff's Office said it plans to file additional charges of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and battery on a police dog.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement's investigation is ongoing.