Inmate dies at Allegheny County Jail

PITTSBURGH — An inmate at the Allegheny County Jail died after being found unresponsive Sunday morning.

Around 7 a.m., correctional staff found the 59-year-old man unresponsive, according to information provided by the jail. Staff members performed lifesaving measures until paramedics arrived. The man was pronounced dead around 7:20 a.m.

He was incarcerated on Jan. 11 after being brought in on retail theft, theft by unlawful taking, evading arrest and disorderly conduct, according to a release. On April 28, the jail said the man was committed by the courts to Torrance State Hospital. He has been housed in the jail’s mental health unit, where there are currently 31 inmates awaiting transfer to Torrance.

The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office later identified the inmate as Douglas Bonomo, from McKeesport.

“All deaths are a tragedy. We take each one very seriously and are continuing to work with our partners to increase surveillance and take other measures to address preventable deaths,” Warden Orlando Harper said in a release. “Through our contracts with the NCCHC, we have received recommendations on steps we can take to reduce suicides and prevent deaths, where possible. We have made those improvements, resulting in better outcomes. This is our first death in our housing units since September 2022 because of the hard work that we’ve been doing to get people out of the facility.”

The jail administration will conduct a review. Allegheny County Police are investigating and the Medical Examiner will determine the cause and manner of death.

In May, an inmate died during intake. Opiates, including fentanyl, cocaine and other drugs, were found in his system during a screen.

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