A lieutenant from the Broward County Sheriff’s Office has died after spending weeks in the hospital due to coronavirus.
47-year-old Lt. Aldemar "Al" Rengifo Jr. passed away on Sunday (8/16), according to a press release from the sheriff's office. Rengifo was hospitalized since July 27.
The 20-year veteran worked with the Youth and Neighborhood Services Bureau and was called a “true professional” and honored as “Detective of the Year” in 2012.
He leaves behind his wife, son, and a host of relatives and friends, according to the release.
"Lt. Rengifo was known for his commitment to agency and community and for his superior communication skills," the statement mentioned, adding that his supervisor wrote that he "can be counted on to maintain a calm and professional demeanor when dealing with complex and stressful situations."
Broward has had some of the highest coronavirus case counts of Florida counties, and many of its hospitals reached capacity last month. Recently, police in the area have responded to large gatherings and issued hundreds of citations.
According to the Florida Department of Health, the state reported 3,779 new cases on Saturday (8/15) alone.
Broward County borders Miami-Dade County, which has been called the country's new coronavirus epicenter by some specialists. Forty-eight new on Saturday brought Miami-Dade's death toll to over 2,000, according to state health data.
Photo: Broward Sheriff's Office