The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office on Friday identified an armed man who was shot and killed by a deputy one day prior.
The sheriff’s office said Benoit Pasteur, 38, pointed a rifle at a deputy in a shopping plaza at Hypoluxo Road and Military Trail near Boynton Beach at approximately 9:30 a.m. Thursday.
The deputy was forced to shoot Pasteur at least once, killing him, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said at a news conference.
Prior to his encounter with the deputy, Pasteur was threatening people at the plaza and also tried to carjack a woman with a child inside a vehicle, Bradshaw said.
“Bottom line is the deputy did everything he could to de-escalate the situation,” Bradshaw said. “You have a dangerous individual here that was threatening people in a violent manner out here on the street. Tried to carjack a lady with a young child inside the car. Very much a danger to the public.”
Bradshaw said Pasteur had a criminal background of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and resisting arrest with violence.
The deputy has been placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard protocol when a law enforcement officer discharges his or her weapon.