The Riverside County Sheriff's Department announced the first death of a deputy from the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, today.
"We are saddened to announce the passing of one of our own RSO family members, Deputy Terrell Young," the department wrote on Twitter Thursday morning.
"Terrell Young served this department for 15 yrs & is the 1st member to succumb to the COVID-19 virus," the sheriff's department wrote. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones during this difficult time"
Young's LinkedIn page reveals that before joining the sheriff's department in 2005, he'd previously worked as an enrollment counselor for California Baptist University in Riverside and National University in Orange County. He also worked as an admissions counselor at the University of Phoenix and spent a year as an investment adviser in Orange County.
The department said that Young worked in several stations, correctional, court and detention centers since 2005.
"I have been in touch with his family and they are requesting privacy at this time,'' Riverside County Sheriff's Association president Bill Young said in a statement. "Our association family, and law enforcement family as a whole, mourns with all of you, and our deepest sympathy and prayers extend to the family of Deputy Terrell Young. Please stay safe and take care of one another during these unprecedented, extremely difficult times.''
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said Monday that three deputies had tested positive for COVID-19, and that at the time, he'd spoken with them and that they were in "good spirits," and were "recovering."
Bianco also said that other deputies in his department had self-quarantined and were awaiting test results, but did not indicate how many officers that was.
It's unknown whether Young was among those three people infected.
Young is survived by his wife and four children.
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