The demise of a nearly blind refugee from Myanmar who was discovered on a Buffalo road in February — 5 days after Border Patrol brokers left him at a doughnut shop — has been ruled a homicide, authorities mentioned Wednesday.
The Erie County Medical Examiner’s Office didn’t attain any conclusions about duty for Nurul Amin Shah Alam’s death, which the company mentioned was induced by issues of a perforated duodenal ulcer, precipitated by hypothermia and dehydration. Ruling a demise a homicide means it resulted from one other particular person’s actions — or inaction — however doesn’t essentially imply that a crime was dedicated.
“This should not have happened,” Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, a Democrat, mentioned at a information convention Wednesday. Asked whether or not the Border Patrol was chargeable for his demise, he declined to remark and mentioned any such willpower could be as much as regulation enforcement companies.
State Attorney General Letitia James and Erie County District Attorney Mike Keane, each Democrats, famous Wednesday that their workplaces have been reviewing the case. Keane mentioned in a assertion that his workplace had requested Shah Alam’s full post-mortem report however “it would be inappropriate” to remark additional.
US Customs and Border Protection pointed Wednesday to its earlier assertion that Shah Alam “showed no signs of distress, mobility issues, or disabilities requiring special assistance” when brokers dropped him off Feb. 19 at a Tim Hortons restaurant.
“This death had NOTHING to do” with Border Patrol, its father or mother company, the Department of Homeland Security, mentioned in a Feb. 27 social media publish that the border company additionally cited Wednesday.
But Murad Awawdeh, president of the New York Immigration Coalition, referred to as for a legal investigation into the Border Patrol brokers’ conduct.
Shah Alam sought security within the US and “instead, he was left to die in the street,” Awawdeh mentioned by cellphone. “Every single person who was involved must be held responsible.”
Gov. Kathy Hochul equally referred to as for accountability for everybody concerned and mentioned her aides spoke to the district lawyer Wednesday afternoon. Hochul, a Democrat and Buffalo native, lambasted “the cruelty and inhumanity” of depositing a man who might barely see, or converse English, outdoors a then-closed restaurant.
Customs and Border Protection has mentioned the restaurant was chosen as “a warm, safe location” close to Shah Alam’s final identified tackle.
Many particulars in regards to the man’s well being and ultimate days aren’t publicly identified, as his post-mortem report is confidential below New York regulation.
But Erie County Health Commissioner Gale Burstein instructed reporters that Shah Alam developed what is generally referred to as a stress ulcer, introduced on in his case by dehydration and publicity to the chilly. The ulcer breached his intestinal wall, creating what is usually a very painful medical emergency that wants speedy therapy, she mentioned.
Shah Alam, 56, was a member of the Rohingya ethnic minority, who’re nearly all denied citizenship and different rights in Buddhist-majority Myanmar.
Shah Alam left Myanmar a few years in the past for Malaysia, the place he labored in building for a few years. He obtained approval to come back to the US as a refugee and arrived within the United States along with his spouse and two of his youngsters in December 2024, in accordance with advocates for the household.
He spent about a yr within the Erie County jail on felony assault and different prices after a 2025 battle with police who encountered him carrying what gave the impression to be curtain rods. Police mentioned he bit two officers; advocates for his household mentioned that he hadn’t understood officers’ instructions to drop the objects.
He ultimately pleaded responsible to 2 lesser, misdemeanor prices and was launched from jail Feb. 19. Border Patrol then briefly detained him till figuring out that he wasn’t eligible for deportation. His household, which had been awaiting his launch from jail, wasn’t knowledgeable of it.
Surveillance video, obtained by the Investigative Post, confirmed Shah Alam treading rigorously by way of the Tim Hortons’ empty parking zone in his county-issued jail booties, pulling his hood up in opposition to the chilly and strolling off into the evening.
Shah Alam’s lawyer in the end reported him lacking to Buffalo police on February 22.
On February 24, he was discovered useless close to the downtown sports activities area the place the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres play. It was unclear how he obtained there from the Tim Hortons, a number of miles away, and Burstein mentioned Wednesday that it was inconceivable to find out precisely when he died.