Obituaries

Newark Police Aide Mourned; Navy Veteran Dies Of Coronavirus

WATCH: A U.S. Navy veteran who served as a longtime Newark police aide died of complications related to the coronavirus, his family said.

Newark police aide Richard T. McKnight, 43, succumbed to coronavirus complications on August 11, according to his family.
Newark police aide Richard T. McKnight, 43, succumbed to coronavirus complications on August 11, according to his family. (Photo courtesy of the Newark Department of Public Safety)

NEWARK, NJ — A U.S. Navy veteran who served as a longtime Newark police aide recently died of complications related to the coronavirus, according to his family.

Richard T. McKnight, 43, is the latest city police department member to succumb to COVID-19, authorities said. He passed away on Aug. 11.

The married father of two was a member of the police division for nearly 20 years, and his “quiet and friendly demeanor” will be sorely missed on the force, according to Newark Public Safety Director Brian O’Hara.

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“We offer the family of police aide McKnight our deepest condolences,” Mayor Ras Baraka said. “This untimely and devastating loss represents the ninth member of the Department of Public Safety to succumb to the COVID-19 virus. We continue to urge everyone to remain vigilant regarding their health and safety and that of their loved ones.”

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