KENDALL – A growing memorial outside the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office substation in Kendall is now covered in flowers, flags and heartfelt messages, a powerful symbol of a community mourning the loss of Deputy Devin Jaramillo.
Jaramillo was shot and killed in the line of duty Friday while responding to a traffic accident. The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said the suspect, identified as Steven Rustrian, opened fire after a fight before taking his own life.
Coaches recall deputy’s youth football days
Among those still grappling with the tragedy are Jaramillo’s former youth football coaches, Roberto Vega and Jose Cisneros, who remember him as a bright, funny and determined young player known by his nickname “Taz.”
“Taz was one of a kind,” Cisneros said. “He was super funny, very humorous. He was always finding little jokes to crack. He was an amazing little kid.”
Seeing his former player’s photo on the news made the loss even more painful.
“This truly hits home because he was murdered,” Vega said. “It hurts.”
EMT student recalls desperate CPR attempt
Also at the scene that day was Joheli Cruz, an EMT student at Miami Dade College. She was on a ride-along with a rescue team when the emergency call came in.
“I wasn’t thinking,” Cruz said. “I just went in and started performing CPR. I was just hoping for a better outcome. I really was.”
Memorial moved as funeral approaches
Now, as the memorial at the crash site is being moved to the Kendall substation, loved ones and strangers alike continue to stop by to honor Jaramillo’s memory, leaving behind candles, notes and quiet moments of reflection.
Funeral services for Deputy Jaramillo will be held Tuesday at 10 a.m. at loanDepot Park, according to CBS News Miami sources.
