BELLE GLADE, Fla. — An off-duty Palm Beach County corrections deputy was "targeted and ambushed" when he was fatally shot in Belle Glade on Monday night, the sheriff's office said.
The agency said Deputy Basil Powell was killed while returning home and immediately fired upon after exiting his vehicle.
WATCH BELOW: Off-duty corrections deputy gunned down in Belle Glade
The shooting occurred just after 7:30 p.m. in the 1400 block of Northwest Avenue D.
Powell, 39, was taken to St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach but died shortly after arriving at the hospital.
The sheriff's office said the shooting was not related to his role as a corrections deputy.
Powell was assigned to the West Corrections Center after being hired in October 2021.
The deputy's uncle told WPTV that Powell leaves behind two children ages 7 and 15.
WPTV reporter Victor Jorges spoke to a woman who lives near where the shooting took place. The woman, who did not want to be identified, said she heard about 10 gunshots back to back Monday night.
Other people who live nearby also told WPTV that this area of the city is usually calm.
Anyone with information regarding the shooting is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-458-TIPS.
Powell's death comes three months after the sheriff's office lost three motorcycle deputies who were killed along Southern Boulevard in November.
This is a developing story. Stay with WPTV.com and WPTV News for updates.
