Investigator Donald Sumner died after contracting COVID-19 during an outbreak among staff and patients at the facility.
Investigator Sumner was a U.S. Air Force veteran and had served with the Patton State Hospital Police Department for 19 years. He is survived by his wife and seven children.
In early 2020, thousands of law enforcement officers and other first responders throughout the country contracted COVID-19 during the worldwide pandemic due to requirements of their job. Many of these first responders died as a result of COVID-19.