Fellow firefighters brought home Starkville Fire Department Battalion Chief Rusty Dawkins early Wednesday night. Dawkins died Monday at a New Orleans hospital from injuries suffered during an assault by three men outside a Cocodrie, La., restaurant.
Godfrey Buquet, chief of operations for the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Department, said that the charges will be raised.
“A warrant has been issued for the three men, who are currently in jail, for manslaughter,” Buquet said. “If convicted, they face up to 40 years in prison.”
Starkville firefighters went along with Oktibbeha County sheriff’s deputies and Mississippi Highway Patrol troopers on Wednesday to bring Dawkin’s body back to Starkville for services.
Firefighters and police officers blocked traffic along Mississippi Highway 12 to allow the motorcade to pass through unobstructed. Many firefighters, according to some reports, held their hands over their hearts, as did residents and motorists who watched the motorcade pass.
“We are all deeply saddened by this event,” Mayor Mack Rutledge said. “We are sad about what happened, and it was uncalled for.
“It’s a hard situation to see any resolve or reason. All we can do is pray and ask God for strength for his family in this time.”
Services for Dawkins have been set for 2 p.m. today at Adaton Baptist Church. Visitation was held Thursday and will be held again today from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Adaton. Dawkins will be buried in the Adaton Baptist Church cemetery.
Starkville city offices will close at noon today so that employees can go to the funeral services for Dawkins.
“The administration offices will be closed, but the essential and emergency services will be running as usual,” Rutledge said.
The Mississippi State Professional and Support Staff Advisory Council and the Starkville Fire Department, have established an account at AmSouth Bank on the behalf of Lauren and Tyler Dawkins, the children of Rusty Dawkins. Contributions can be made at any AmSouth Bank location.
Dawkins was an employee of MSU in the Wildlife and Fisheries Department for 15 years. He was also a 21-year veteran of the Starkville Fire Department.
“Rusty’s outgoing personality and willingness to always lend a helping hand will always be remembered by his fellow firefighters and the MSU family,” Mary Ann Latham, publicity chairwoman of the Professional and Support Staff Advisory Council, said. “He has touched many lives, and this fund is our way of showing appreciation for all he has done for our community.”
“He left a great void in our department as well as the institution,” Bruce Leopold, head of the wildlife and fisheries department, said. “He loved MSU very dearly.
“Rusty treated everyone like his extended family, and everyone was his family.
“If you knew Rusty for the first time and got to know him, he would consider you his friend,” Leopold said. “He was available for people here on campus, whatever the cause might be.”
Survivors include his wife, Dana; daughter, Lauren of Starkville; son, Tyler Dawkins of Starkville; father, Johnie Mack Dawkins of Starkville; mother, Betty Dawkins of Starkville; sister, Sandy Dawkins of Starkville and brother, Jeff Dawkins of Starkville.
For more information on the fund for Dawkins’ children, contact the MSU Staff Council office at 325-0664 or Bill Malone at AmSouth Bank’s downtown branch at 1-800-267-6884.