YOUNGSTOWN — A sister of “Ricky” Frederick P. Howk III, 33, of Austintown, the man who stole the gun of a Mercy Health police officer a week ago in the emergency department at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital and used it on himself, says her brother’s mental health issues mostly started a year ago.

“A lot of this started in October of last year, where we started keeping tabs on him. Then in December he disappeared to North Carolina. I have no idea how he got there. Hallucinations led him there,” she said. She does not live locally.

He was brought back to the Youngstown area and started counseling.

“Suicide was never on his list,” she said of issues he faced. “He has two boys that he absolutely loves.

“I’m very upset emotionally, and I’m numb right now,” she said Wednesday by telephone

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