New Castle, PA – New Castle Police Sergeant Brian Cuscino died at a local gym Tuesday morning, when he suffered an apparent heart attack while completing his mandatory fitness training.

Sgt. Cuscino, who was slated to receive the New Castle Police Department’s (NCPD) Officer of the Quarter Award on the same date that he passed away, was found by concerned fellow officers at approximately 8:30 a.m., after he failed to arrive for his scheduled morning shift, the New Castle News reported.

Investigators said he had been deceased for over an hour when he was located.

Sgt. Cuscino, who was the NCPD’s lead homicide detective, joined the department as a patrolman in 2001.

A decade later, he was promoted to the rank of detective. He also spent time as a corporal before earning his sergeant’s promotion.

“He was an outstanding detective,” NCPD Chief Bobby Salem told the New Castle News. “Every homicide case we have pending was his investigation.”

Sgt. Cuscino had a homicide clearance rate of 100 percent, Chief Salem added.

He was also a sniper and training officer for the NCPD’s Entry and Response team.

“Our entire department is deeply saddened by this,” the chief told the New Castle News. “His was part of our family here. It’s a hard loss when it’s someone you work with every day, and it’s so unexpected.”

“The NCPD family asks that the community keep Detective Sergeant Brian Cuscino’s wife Heather, sons Brandon and Dustin and the rest of his family and friends in your prayers during this difficult time,” the department said in a Facebook post on Thursday.

Sgt. Cuscino will be laid to rest on Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of New Castle Police Sergeant Brian Cuscino, both blood and blue. Thank you for your service.

Rest easy, hero. We’ll hold the line from here.