Dustin Rose was a nineteen-year-old with his whole life laid out ahead of him. He grew up in the quiet area of DeLeon Springs, but recently he had moved away to attend The Citadel, the well-known military college in South Carolina. On top of his college studies, Dustin was serving his country as a member of the South Carolina Army National Guard. He was home visiting old friends when a summer night turned into an absolute nightmare.
It was late Wednesday evening on July 29 when everything went terribly wrong in DeLand, Florida. Officers were sent out around 10:40 p.m. to an unused industrial property at 213 West New York Avenue. When police arrived on the scene, they found Dustin and his long-time childhood friend Samson Campbell lying on the ground. Both young men had suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Paramedics rushed to help, but by 10:48 p.m., both Dustin and Samson were pronounced dead right there at the scene.
Dustin had built a strong reputation as a dedicated young man who cared about service and discipline. Those who knew him from his hometown remembered him as a solid kid who wanted to make something big of himself through military service. Finding out that a bright young Citadel student was killed in a dark, empty lot sent shockwaves through the local community and his fellow service members back in South Carolina.
Investigators quickly realized that Dustin and Samson were childhood buddies who had reconnected during a trip back home. While Dustin was building his path in the National Guard, Samson had recently moved up to Chicago. What brought the two old friends together at that specific industrial lot late at night remains one of the central questions that detectives are trying to solve.
Early reports on social media claimed the shooting happened directly behind the historic Athens Theatre, causing major concern in downtown DeLand. However, police authorities quickly cleared that up. They clarified that the tragic incident took place on a completely separate, vacant industrial parcel nearby, right next to an abandoned trailer on the property.
DeLand Police Chief Jason Umberger released a public statement expressing his deep sorrow over the incident. He called the double homicide a truly tragic situation for everyone involved and extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of both young men. Detectives from the department’s Criminal Investigation Division have taken full control of the case, working around the clock to piece together the final hours of Dustin’s life.
As of right now, police have not publicly identified any potential suspects or revealed what might have motivated the shooting. Authorities have stated there does not appear to be an active threat to the general public. Meanwhile, investigators are urging anyone who saw Dustin or Samson on Tuesday or Wednesday night to come forward with information to help bring justice to their families.
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