The family of the individual involved in the officer-involved shooting over the weekend has confirmed that the person in the photographs is Dustin Rush. He was shot and killed while trying to escape from deputies following a burglary incident.
Family members identified Dustin Rush as the suspect in the deadly officer-involved shooting that occurred on Saturday in St. Johns County.
According to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, Rush, who was a burglary suspect armed with a firearm, attempted to flee from deputies, leading to a collision in a retention pond. He was fatally shot while running near Davis Park, where numerous children were participating in soccer and baseball tournaments.
Nick Gibson visited the Southside neighborhood where Rush’s mother lives. While she declined an on-camera interview, she mentioned that she had no knowledge of her son having a gun.
One photograph shows Rush allegedly holding a firearm as he was running toward the fields, moments before the fatal shooting, according to the deputies.
Anne Wadyko, a neighbor who lives a couple of doors down from Rush’s mother, said she was acquainted with Rush, his mother, and his step-father. She expressed her shock, saying, “Then I got home and I was like, ‘Oh my goodness,’ because I know his mom and Kevin, and they are lovely people.” However, she also acknowledged that Rush had a troubled past, describing him as “a troubled young man.”
Crystal Oneal, the other suspect involved in the burglary, was later arrested and is facing 16 charges, including 14 felonies.
Dustin Rush had a criminal history, with court records indicating two arrests in 2008, including one for DUI in Atlantic Beach. Additionally, records from Indiana revealed that Rush served time in prison for robbery and had a warrant for possession of a firearm by a felon.
Wadyko expressed the impact of this incident on the neighborhood, stating, “No one is saying much, and only because of his mom.”
Action News Jax has requested body camera video footage from the shooting, but it remains unclear when it will be released to the public.
