Deputy-involved shooting under review in Volusia County

A deputy-involved shooting in DeLand is drawing countywide attention after Volusia sheriff’s officials said a man was shot and killed following an hourslong series of encounters with law enforcement. While the incident happened on the west side of the county, it is still a significant public-safety story for Edgewater residents because it involves the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, use-of-force decisions, and an active outside investigation.

According to reports from WESH and FOX 35, the case began Friday night when officers said a driver was seen operating recklessly in downtown DeLand. Authorities said the driver nearly struck a pedestrian, fled with headlights off, ran red lights and continued west on State Road 44. Deputies later located the vehicle around 4:30 a.m. Saturday in the parking lot of a Walmart Neighborhood Market on South Woodland Boulevard.

What investigators say happened

Investigators said the driver tried to flee again as deputies approached. During that encounter, a deputy fired through the windshield, striking the driver. Officials said the vehicle continued a short distance before crashing. The driver was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. No other injuries were reported.

Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood later identified the man as Brandon Joseph Brabin and said the case would be reviewed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the State Attorney’s Office. Chitwood also said deputies are trained in tactics such as boxing in a vehicle or using PIT maneuvers in some situations, and he acknowledged there are still unanswered questions about why those options were not used here.

Why this matters beyond DeLand

For readers in Edgewater, the immediate takeaway is not traffic disruption but accountability and transparency. The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office serves communities across the county, and major incidents involving deputy conduct can shape public trust far beyond the city where they occur. Cases like this also tend to influence future training discussions, pursuit policies and how deputies handle fast-moving encounters with drivers.

The sheriff said the deputy involved was relatively new, with about two years on the job. Officials also said the suspect had a criminal history and was on probation at the time of the incident. Still, the central question now is whether the use of deadly force was legally justified under the circumstances described by investigators and visible in body-camera footage referenced in coverage.

What comes next

FDLE is handling the independent investigation, and prosecutors will ultimately determine whether the shooting was justified. Residents should expect more details as that review continues, including possible release of additional video, investigative findings and any policy recommendations that may follow. For now, the case remains one of the most consequential recent public-safety developments in Volusia County.