POMPANO BEACH, Fla. -- The man suspected of fatally shooting a jail transport deputy and stealing the transport van outside a Pompano Beach strip club Wednesday morning has been taken into custody, Broward County Sheriff Al Lamberti said.

Authorities said Michael Mazza was apprehended at 6020 Hollywood Blvd. The gun used in the shooting was also recovered, Lamberti said. Details of Mazza's apprehension were not immediately available.

Deputy Paul Rein, a 20-year veteran of the Broward Sheriff's Office, was pronounced dead at North Broward Medical Center, Lamberti said.

The shooting occurred outside Diamond Dolls, located at 1401 N. Powerline Road, at about 7:45 a.m.

According to BSO spokesman Elliot Cohen, the deputy's weapon and transport van were stolen.

Authorities said there was a struggle inside the van when Mazza shot Rein, pushed him out of the vehicle and drove off. Witnesses dialed 911 after seeing the deputy being thrown from the van.

"We have several witnesses we have been questioning," Cohen said.

Another witness told Local 10 she saw the van driving on the sidewalk with the back doors open.

Rein, 76, had spoken with his wife via cell phone about 10 minutes before he was killed, Lamberti said.

The sheriff said Mazza was able to call a cab at some point to help make his getaway.

Authorities throughout South Florida had been assisting in the search. Law enforcement at the federal, state and local level could be seen organizing outside an apartment building where Mazza's mother lives in the 1300 block of Ocean Drive in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea.

Mazza is a suspect in a bank robbery. His trial started Tuesday. He was being transported to the courthouse in a medical transport van because he complained of back problems, Cohen said.

Mazza was charged in February with robbing a Bank of America at 6101 Coral Ridge Drive in Coral Springs. Police said that on Feb. 28, Mazza fled the scene in a 2002 Chevrolet Malibu after robbing the bank just as police were responding to a silent alarm.

He was captured after he struck a vehicle driven by a 33-year-old woman from Tamarac. She and her 16-year-old passenger were injured, as was Mazza.

The transport van was recovered shortly before 10 a.m. outside a Flanagan's restaurant at 2600 W. Davie Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale, but neither he nor the deputy's gun was found. The van was seen being towed away from the Flangan's parking lot at about 11:30 a.m.

A $25,000 reward was being offered for information leading to Mazza's arrest.

Suspect Has Lengthy Criminal Past

Mazza has a lengthy criminal history. State prison records show a 1990 theft conviction and a 1992 cocaine conviction.

In 1997, Mazza was sentenced to six years and eight months for robbery with a deadly weapon and kidnapping. He was released in February 2002, but was back in prison by 2004 on another robbery conviction. He was released in October 2006.

Cohen said Mazza was serving two life sentences for strong-armed robbery. Cohen said it was possible the escape was premeditated and that Mazza might have had help.

"This is a man who has nothing to lose," Cohen said.

The shooting is the third of a BSO deputy this year. Deputy Maury Hernandez was shot in the head Aug. 6 while conducting a traffic stop in the 3700 block of Pembroke Road. He has recovered but is still undergoing rehabilitation.

Less than a week later, Sgt. Chris Reyka was fatally gunned down outside a Pompano Beach Walgreens on Powerline Road. A $267,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest in the case.

All Broward County Schools Placed On Lockdown

In an unprecedented move, more than 200 schools in Broward County were placed on lockdown.

Jim Notter, Broward County Public Schools superintendent, said he had not seen all the schools under lockdown in his 21-year career.

"This is a precautionary measure, a collaborative decision between our office and the sheriff's office," said Notter.

When schools are under lockdown, Notter said the educational process continues, but students are not allowed in any of the external areas of the school.