Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a 911 call reporting a disturbance in unincorporated Boynton Beach on the evening of December 6, 2025. Arriving at the 9000 block of Water Course Way at approximately 5:21 p.m., first responders discovered an unresponsive individual following reports of a physical altercation. The victim, identified as 61-year-old Black male Jean Joseph of Greenacres, was pronounced deceased at the scene by emergency personnel.
Preliminary reports from the scene indicated that the fatal incident stemmed from a confrontation between Joseph and an off-duty deputy with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. While authorities did not immediately disclose the specific details of what precipitated the argument, the encounter escalated to lethal force. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement assumed the lead role in the investigation to ensure transparency and impartiality, given the involvement of a law enforcement officer.
In the aftermath of the shooting, the off-duty deputy was placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard agency protocol for incidents involving the use of deadly force. As of the latest updates available in late December 2025, no arrests had been made in connection with the death, and no formal charges had been filed against the deputy. The investigation remained active as detectives continued to gather evidence and interview potential witnesses to determine the precise circumstances that led to the loss of life.
