An off-duty Florida has been executed on his doorstep in front of his daughter after he was ‘ambushed’ by an assassin when he returned home.
Basil Powell, 39, of Belle Glade, was returning home on Monday evening when an unidentified shooter ‘targeted and ambushed’ him as he exited his vehicle at around 7:30pm, police said.
Powell suffered multiple gunshot wounds, according to Local 10 News. The front of his home was covered with bullet holes.
His young daughter, who he was very close with, was in the car when he was shot, according to WPTV.
‘I don’t think [the public] should be scared, this is a targeted thing,’ Sheriff Ric Bradshaw told WPBF. ‘Obviously, the person that wanted to do this was waiting on him. It’s not like it’s a random killing in the neighborhood.’
Powell was transported to St. Mary’s Hospital via a Trauma Hawk helicopter. He was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the medical center.
His body received a ceremonial escort from the hospital to the Medical Examiner’s Office with many officers lining up to give their final salute.
Basil Powell, 39, of Belle Glade, was returning home on Monday evening when an unidentified shooter ‘targeted and ambushed’ him as he exited his vehicle at around 7:30pm, police said
Powell suffered multiple gunshot wounds. His young daughter (pictured together), who he was very close with, was in the car when he was shot
The front of his home was covered with bullet holes. Police believe this was a targeted attack and do not think there is any danger to the public
Powell worked as a corrections officer at West Corrections Center and was hired by the Sheriff’s Office in October 2021.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office does not believe the fatal shooting was related to his job.
‘PBSO, once again, stands together, honoring our deputy’s memory and supporting his family, friends, and colleagues through this time of immense sorrow,’ it wrote in a statement.
This is the fourth death inside the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office after three deputies died in a motorcycle accident in Wellington in November, according to The Palm Beach Post.
Teachers at ABC Playschool Child Care, where Powell’s daughter attended, had seen the officer just hours before he died.
‘He always wanted to know how his baby was doing,’ Dorothy Lewis told WPBF.
‘She loved her daddy very much, and you could tell that they spent a lot of time together,’ fellow teacher Kiara McFarland told the outlet. ‘She would come in and say: “Daddy!” He said: “Hey Kemi, how was your day?”
‘He had just left here, and it’s like every time he comes in, he greets us. He asks us how her day has been. He just wanted to know what’s going on with his little girl every single day.’
His body received a ceremonial escort from the hospital to the Medical Examiner’s Office with many officers lining up to give their final salute
Powell worked as a corrections officer at West Corrections Center and was hired by the Sheriff’s Office in October 2021. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office does not believe the fatal shooting was related to his job
The little girl’s godfather, Wessex Altidor, rushed to the hospital from Orlando when he heard the news, but did not make it in time to see Powell alive.
‘He loves his kids, you know what I’m saying, he loves his family. He loves his friends… His main priority was his kids. He’s a great guy, and I’m really going to miss my friend,’ he told WPTV.
‘Being a godfather, you got to step up. Hey, I’m there forever,’ he said.
Powell’s friend, Jean Lestage, described Powell as a ‘very endearing person, someone who really cared for his children and his family.’
Lewis and McFarland agreed, saying the officer was ‘not problematic.’
‘We just want answers,’ McFarland told WPBF.
Mayor Steve Wilson wished his condolences to the family and condemned the shooter’s actions.
‘We’ll band together as a community and get through it, hopefully,’ he said as he came to pay his respects.
