Man in hospital shooting had history of mental health issues

Man in hospital shooting had history of mental health issues

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 i…