Police Find Escaped Convict

Southern Florida was in a state of panic this afternoon as police frantically searched for an escaped prisoner who shot and killed a police officer. The suspect, Michael Mazza, was tracked down to a pawn shop and arrested. This was four hours after an elderly Sheriff's Deputy, who was taking Mazza to a Fort Lauderdale court, was found shot and bleeding in a parking lot. Broward County Sheriff Al Bamberti said Mazza already was serving a life sentence for armed robbery. Somewhere between his jail cell and court, the suspect had stolen Deputy Paul Rein's gun and shot him. Traffic backed up for miles and 283 schools were under lock down while the manhunt for the criminal was underway. Although Mazza has been caught, police are still searching for possible accomplices in the escape and ambush of 76-year-old Rein, who died in the shooting. ABC news reports that Rein is the fourth Southern Florida law enforcement officer and the third Broward deputy shot in the last three months.