VERO BEACH, Fla. — Police in Vero Beach held a news conference on Wednesday morning after two Indian River County public works employees were shot dead yesterday.
The shooting occurred Tuesday at about 7 a.m. in the back parking lot of the Indian River County Main Library, 1600 21st Street. When officers arrived, they found the bodies of Danny Ooley, the assistant director of Public Works, and Stacie Ellis Mason, a traffic analyst technician.
Using a long gun, the Vero Beach Police Chief David Currey said Jesse Scott Ellis, 64, fired "multiple" shots to kill Ooley and Mason.
"Detectives quickly obtained and reviewed surveillance footage of the area, which captured the suspect approaching the victims, opening fire on the vehicle," Currey said.
Currey said Ellis and Mason were married for 13 years, and called the killings a "crime of passion."
After the shooting occurred, Currey said Ellis drove to nearby South Beach Park, went into the ocean fully clothed and swam about 900 yards offshore.
Currey said fire department crews used a boat and went into the water to get Ellis, not knowing who he was. Rescuers spoke to him, but did not bring him back to shore.
As of Wednesday morning, Ellis was "still at large," according to the police chief.
"We have a very, very active investigation going on," Currey said.
Stay with WPTV.com and WPTV News for updates.
