The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) is mourning the passing of a deputy considered a “hero” for his part in a shootout at the courthouse in Cumming eleven years ago.
Sheriff Ron Freeman wrote on Facebook Monday night: “Some days are hard, tonight at FCSO, we mourn the passing of one of our own. Sergeant Daniel Rush, Badge #2453 passed away tonight at Northside Forsyth Hospital. He succumbed to complications from a recently diagnosed critical illness. Members of the FCSO were at his side as Sergeant Rush passed.
“The longest continuous serving member of FCSO, He was under hospice care at Northside Forsyth Hospital for the past week, where he received extraordinary care in his final days from the staff there.
As Sheriff, losing a member of the FCSO is my nearly sole fear. I have personally known Daniel since before he began as a Dispatcher at FCSO in 1990. Sergeant Rush’s 35th anniversary with FCSO would have been February 8th.”
Sheriff Freeman went on to say Sgt. Rush “is a genuine hero; he was wounded in the line of duty in 2014 when he confronted a deranged gunman on the courthouse steps. Sergeant Rush’s engagement of the gunman gave fellow deputies time to respond and protect those within the courthouse.”
For his action, Rush’ was recognized with the FCSO Purple Heart award, and he was selected as the Georgia Deputy Sheriff of the Year for Valor in 2014 by the Georgia Sheriff’s Association.
Sheriff Freeman said the department will be holding a memorial service for him “in the following week or two.”