Family shares photos of suspect killed in deputy-involved shooting in Ponte Vedra

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — The family of the suspect involved in the officer-involved shooting over the weekend has confirmed photographs of Dustin Rush, who was shot and killed while attempting to evade deputies after a burglary incident.

Dustin Rush was identified by family members as the suspect in Saturday’s deadly officer-involved shooting in St. Johns County.

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According to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, Rush, an armed burglary suspect, sped away from deputies, resulting in a crash into a retention pond. He was fatally shot while fleeing near Davis Park, where hundreds of children were participating in soccer and baseball tournaments.

Nick Gibson visited the Southside neighborhood where Rush’s mother lives. Though she declined an on-camera interview, she did reveal that she had no knowledge of her son possessing a gun.

One photograph showcases what Deputies say was Rush reportedly holding a firearm as he was running toward the fields, moments before the fatal shooting.

Anne Wadyko, a neighbor who lives just a couple of doors down from Rush’s mother mentioned that she was familiar with Rush, his mother, and his step-father.

“Then I got home and I was like ‘Oh my goodness,’ because I know his mom and Kevin, and they are lovely people,” Wadyko told Action News Jax.

READ: One dead, one arrested after Ponte Vedra Beach burglary leads to fatal deputy-involved shooting

However, she also acknowledged that Rush had a troubled past, describing him as “a naughty boy.”

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 revealing two arrests in 2008, including one for DUI in Atlantic Beach.

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Additionally, Action News Jax uncovered records from Indiana, indicating that Rush served time in prison for robbery and had a warrant for possession of a firearm by a felon.

Wadyko expressed the impact this incident has had 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, though it remains unclear when it will be released to the public.

Photos: Family shares photos of Dustin Rush, suspect killed in deputy-involved shooting in Ponte Vedra

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Dustin Rush The family of the suspect involved in the officer-involved shooting over the weekend has confirmed photographs of Dustin Rush, who was shot and killed while attempting to evade deputies after a burglary incident.

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