Second police officer dies of COVID; Pittsburgh Mayor considers vaccine mandate for city employees

PITTSBURGH — Another tragedy for the Zone 6 police station in Pittsburgh’s West End. A second officer who came down with COVID has now died.

The city has confirmed for us that Sgt. Rick Howe passed away this afternoon.

He had been in the hospital for about a week battling COVID. Howe was in the traffic unit.

Target 11′s Rick Earle learned that the City of Pittsburgh could have a vaccine mandate in place before the end of November.

Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto is considering a vaccine mandate for all city employees.

This comes just weeks a police officer died of COVID-19 complications.

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Public safety data released earlier this month revealed that 40 percent of the approximately 1,000 police officers in the city have not been vaccinated. It’s the lowest rate in the public safety department.

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WATCH in the video above as Rick sits down with Mayor Peduto, who told him the mandate is under serious consideration.

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