Authorities say the man knocked the deputy down and tried to take her firearm before she opened fire during the confrontation.
PALM BEACH, FL — A Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputy fatally shot a 32-year-old man Thursday after authorities say he attacked her, knocked her to the ground and tried to seize her firearm during a struggle outside a sheriff’s substation.
The shooting happened about 7:35 a.m. Sept. 17 outside the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office District 19 substation in the 3500 block of South Ocean Boulevard. Sheriff Ric Bradshaw identified the man as Rex Alexander Magann. The deputy, whose name had not been publicly released, was injured and taken to a hospital. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office and the sheriff’s Violent Crimes Division are investigating the shooting.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, deputies were responding to a report of a man requesting medical assistance at the substation. Bradshaw said Magann had walked to the property and contacted dispatch before the deputy arrived. The sheriff said the call initially appeared to involve a person who needed help rather than a violent confrontation.
Bradshaw said Magann approached the deputy after she arrived and told her he needed a vehicle and intended to take her patrol car. When the deputy refused, Magann lunged toward her and tried to grab her firearm, according to the sheriff’s account. Investigators have not released body-camera or surveillance footage of the encounter, and the official account remains subject to the continuing investigation.
The sheriff said the confrontation quickly became physical. Magann pushed the deputy backward, causing her to fall and strike her head, Bradshaw said. Magann then remained on top of her during the struggle for the weapon and struck her in the head, face and chest, according to authorities. The deputy eventually regained control of her firearm and shot Magann, Bradshaw said.
Magann was pronounced dead at the scene. The deputy was taken to HCA Florida JFK Hospital with facial injuries and was evaluated for a possible concussion. Her injuries were described as not life-threatening, and South Palm Beach Town Manager Jamie Titcomb said later Thursday that she had been released from the hospital.
Bradshaw said the deputy had been fighting to keep control of her weapon and characterized the encounter as a threat to her life. “She saved her own life,” Bradshaw said during a briefing. The Sheriff’s Office has placed the deputy on administrative leave, a standard step after a deputy-involved shooting while the case is reviewed.
Public records reviewed by local news organizations show Magann had previous encounters with law enforcement. Court records show he pleaded guilty in November 2025 to charges stemming from a January 2025 confrontation with Manalapan police, including assault on a law enforcement officer. Records also show a related case involving battery on an emergency medical care provider was resolved as part of the plea agreement. He received credit for time served and five years of probation.
Bradshaw also said Magann had previously been taken for involuntary mental health evaluations under Florida’s Baker Act. Those prior incidents do not establish what caused Thursday’s confrontation, and investigators have not announced a motive or released findings explaining why Magann allegedly attacked the deputy. Authorities also had not publicly released video showing the shooting as of Friday.
The shooting disrupted activity along South Ocean Boulevard for several hours while investigators processed the scene. Town officials canceled meetings and services at Town Hall for the day. Titcomb said Magann was a local resident who had been living with his mother in the community, according to information provided to town officials.
At least one nearby resident publicly supported the deputy’s response, telling WPBF that the resident was grateful the deputy survived and that the danger had ended. Authorities have not said whether independent witnesses saw the entire confrontation. Investigators also had not publicly disclosed how many shots were fired.
The investigation remains active. FDLE is reviewing the deputy-involved shooting along with the State Attorney’s Office and the Sheriff’s Office Violent Crimes Division. Officials have not announced when additional evidence, including any available video or a final investigative finding, will be released.
Author note: Last updated September 18, 2026.