Procession escorts Deputy Moyers to Fernandina Beach funeral home

NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. – Nassau County Deputy Joshua Moyers, who died from his injuries aft helium was changeable aboriginal Friday morning, was escorted Monday evening to the Oxley Heard Funeral Home successful Fernandina Beach.

The procession began astatine the Duval County Medical Examiner’s Office, traveled on 8th Street to Myrtle Avenue, turned near connected U.S. Highway 1 toward Callahan, close onto State Road 200 into Fernandina Beach, near onto Atlantic Avenue and ended astatine the ceremonial home. The way was astir 50 miles.

Dozens of radical were seen lining the streets on the way that stretched from Duval to Nassau County.

People stood with their hands implicit their hears, immoderate held signs and others waved American flags.

At astir 8:08 p.m., the procession arrived astatine the ceremonial home. As the procession made its mode down Atlantic Avenue, the assemblage was silent.

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Moyers, 29, died aft helium was changeable doubly during the Friday postulation stop. The antheral suspected of shooting him, deputies said, was inactive connected the tally arsenic of Monday afternoon.

“Deputy Moyers was specified a large portion of this assemblage and helium had specified an interaction connected our assemblage and you tin spot that. You tin spot the love,” said Darron Ayscue, Fire Union president.

Claudette Drummond, who lives successful Fernandina Beach, was determination for the procession. She said the feeling was familiar.

“I cognize however it felt for maine erstwhile the assemblage came unneurotic for my grandson,” Drummond said.

Her grandson, Nassau County Deputy Eric Oliver, was killed successful the enactment of work 5 years ago. She said the assemblage came retired to enactment her grandson -- conscionable similar they did Moyers.

“You don’t recognize until you’re going done hard times similar this what the enactment of the assemblage does for you,” Drummond said.

Merkel King, a retired maestro sergeant, said she came retired to grant Moyers and everyone who serves successful instrumentality enforcement.

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“They’re ne'er alone, truthful we basal gangly with them,” King said. “It’s hurtful, but we inactive amusement up for each other.”

On Monday, hundreds of instrumentality enforcement officers were searching an country of Callahan arsenic a statewide Blue Alert was issued for Patrick McDowell, 35, who is the erstwhile Marine deputies fishy changeable Moyers. A erstwhile colleague described McDowell arsenic a “survivalist” susceptible of surviving connected his ain successful the woods.

Police organizations including the Fraternal Order of Police and the Florida Sheriff’s Association are contributing to a reward, present up to $54,000 for accusation starring to McDowell’s arrest.

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