An armed man who was shot by Broward Sheriff’s deputies Tuesday night was identified Thursday as Joseph Francis, 37, of Pompano Beach.
Deputies had responded to a report of a crime in progress in the 600 block of Briny Avenue in Pompano Beach shortly before 11 p.m. Tuesday. The Sheriff’s Office did not say the nature of the crime.
When they encountered Francis, a struggle ensued, and Francis physically attacked one of the deputies, said Carey Codd, a spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office.
Francis brandished a gun, and deputies fired shots and struck him. The Sheriff’s Office did not say how many shots were fired or how many times Francis was struck.
Pompano Beach Fire Rescue took Francis to a local hospital, where he was in critical condition. The deputy who struggled with Francis suffered minor injuries, Codd said.
Francis was arrested on multiple counts of felony assault, among other charges, in Kent County, Rhode Island, for a crime committed in July of 2020, according to Kent County court records. He pleaded no contest to the felony assault charges, while the remaining charges were dropped. His sentencing had been scheduled for the end of January.
The Sheriff’s Office said detectives recovered a firearm at the scene Tuesday.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement will investigate the circumstances of the shooting.
Staff writer Robin Webb contributed to this report.
