WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (WAVY) – The James City County police officer accused of shooting and seriously hurting his sergeant told police officers he did so after the sergeant got angry over access to location tracking software on his phone.
Officer Michael Rusk is facing charges in connection to the shooting of Sgt. Christopher Gibson outside a Williamsburg bar back in January. The two had been drinking together while off-duty.
A 10 On Your Side investigation previously revealed that Rusk told 911 dispatchers he shot Gibson because he was making unwanted sexual advances on him.
“I thought he was going to f****** rape me,” he told the dispatcher.
A search warrant obtained by 10 On Your Side is now shedding even more light on what led up to the shooting. The search warrant states that on the night of the shooting, Rusk told investigating officers that Gibson had gotten mad because he wanted Rusk to give him access to tracking software on his phone – and Rusk refused.
“During an interview with Rusk, he told me…there were texts, calls, and screenshots of messages and pictures on his phone from Gibson,” according to the search warrant.
Investigators requested the information to help establish a motive for the shooting.
In an exclusive interview with 10 On Your Side, Rusk’s father said he had witnessed Gibson seemingly following Rusk prior to the shooting.
“Michael would be traveling around with a girlfriend, or visiting us with his girlfriend, and Chris would appear,” Jason Rusk said.
“He would just show up out of nowhere on streets where girlfriends lived, or driving down our street, or say ‘I see you’re hanging out with so-and-so again.’ I was like, ‘How could he have known that?’”
Williamsburg Police Department is investigating the shooting. They did not return our request for comment on this story.
10 On Your Side has reached out to Sgt. Gibson for comment. He has not responded to our requests. He is currently on paid administrative leave pending an internal affairs investigation.
Officer Michael Rusk is currently on unpaid leave. He is expected back in court in June.
