HOLLYWOOD , Florida ( CNN ) -- A man serving a life sentence for robbing a drugstore has confessed to overpowering and fatally shooting a deputy who was taking him to court Wednesday , authorities said . Michael Mazza , 40 , was arrested outside a pawn shop in Hollywood , Florida , hours after the death of Broward County Deputy Paul Rein sparked a massive manhunt . It was the third shooting of a Broward County sheriff 's deputy in four months , and the second fatality . The incident happened as Mazza was being taken to the second day of his trial in connection with the armed robbery of a Coral Springs bank , Sheriff Al Lamberti said . Mazza was being transported in a medical van because of a medical condition , Lamberti said . The driver 's compartment of the van was separated from the back by a cage or grill . Mazza and Rein left about 8:05 a.m. , Lamberti said . Minutes later , a truck driver who saw all or part of the altercation near Pompano Beach called 911 . `` All of this transpired within six minutes . That 's all it took , '' Lamberti said . The struggle began when Rein apparently pulled the medical transport van over at an intersection . The deputy 's body showed other injuries from the fight -- a broken finger , bruises and cuts , Lamberti said . Mazza allegedly took Rein 's service weapon away from him and shot him , authorities said . Although two shots were fired , Rein was shot only once , the bullet entering his upper chest and exiting his lower back , Lamberti told reporters . After the shooting , Mazza is believed to have thrown Rein from the van and driven away . A city public works employee later spotted the blood-spattered van in Fort Lauderdale , Lamberti said . Mazza , meanwhile , is believed to have hitchhiked his way down to Hollywood , about 20 miles away . He approached a man at a pawn shop and asked for a ride . The man , who was headed to a second pawn shop , agreed . When the man arrived at the second pawn shop , he left Mazza in the car and went inside , Lamberti said . As he was talking to the clerk , a television in the shop began broadcasting news about the deputy 's shooting , and showed a picture of Mazza , he said . The man `` tells the clerk , 'Hey , I have that guy in my car , ' `` Lamberti said . He went back to the car , took his keys , came back and told the clerk to call police . Mazza was arrested shortly afterward . Rein 's gun was found with Mazza in the man 's car , the sheriff said . Mazza faces charges including first-degree murder and escape , Lamberti said . He was being interviewed by police Wednesday afternoon and was to appear before a judge at some point , he said , and afterward would be transported to Dade County Jail . Because the shooting was `` an emotionally charged event for all of us ... we feel it 's probably better that he be housed at another facility outside of Broward County , '' Lamberti said , and Dade County agreed to house him . Mazza initially was reluctant to talk to authorities , but later agreed , and confessed to shooting Rein , the sheriff said . He offered no details . Lamberti said Mazza was serving a life sentence for robbing a drugstore in Coconut Creek , correcting his earlier statement that Mazza was serving two life sentences . He was on trial for robbery of the Coral Springs bank . Broward County also has a pending case against Mazza -- a February drugstore robbery in Pompano Beach , he said . Mazza was dressed in civilian clothes -- a suit -- rather than jail scrubs Wednesday because he had a court date , authorities have said . When caught , however , Mazza was wearing a T-shirt , shorts and sneakers , Lamberti told reporters . Police are investigating whether he had planned the escape in advance and whether anyone helped him . Rein 's co-workers told reporters he was `` in outstanding condition physically . '' The sheriff 's office has fitness-for-duty standards that deputies must meet . Broward County deputies conduct some 400 to 500 inmate court transports a day -- one deputy transporting up to a handful of inmates , Lamberti said . Thin staffing and scant resources prevent more than one deputy being involved , he said . `` It 's a routine thing , '' Lamberti said . `` But it shows , in this profession , nothing is routine , whether it be a domestic , a traffic stop or just transporting an inmate to court . '' As news of the escape broke , all 273 schools in Broward County went on lockdown , according to Nadine Drew , a spokeswoman for the school system . Lamberti said Rein 's wife spoke to her husband by cell phone just 10 minutes before he was shot . `` She said you never think it 's going to happen to you , '' the sheriff said . The deputy was memorialized Wednesday on the Web site of the Broward County Sheriff 's Office . Visitors to the site were greeted by a photo of Rein , with a caption saying , `` Husband . Father . Friend . '' E-mail to a friend .
NEW : Deadly struggle `` transpired within six minutes . That 's all it took , '' sheriff says . NEW : Suspect faces charges including first-degree murder and escape . Incident happened as the deputy was transporting Michael Mazza to court . Mazza was apprehended after a massive manhunt .