The loss of life of a virtually blind refugee from Myanmar who was discovered on a Buffalo road in February — 5 days after Border Patrol brokers left him at a doughnut store — has been dominated a murder, authorities stated Wednesday.
The Erie County Medical Examiner’s Workplace didn’t attain any conclusions about duty for Nurul Amin Shah Alam’s loss of life, which the company stated was brought on by problems of a perforated duodenal ulcer, precipitated by hypothermia and dehydration. Ruling a loss of life a murder means it resulted from one other individual’s actions — or inaction — however doesn’t essentially imply {that a} crime was dedicated.
“This could not have occurred,” Erie County Govt Mark Poloncarz, a Democrat, stated at a information convention Wednesday. Requested whether or not the Border Patrol was chargeable for his loss of life, he declined to remark and stated any such dedication could be as much as regulation enforcement companies.
State Lawyer Normal Letitia James and Erie County District Lawyer Mike Keane, each Democrats, famous Wednesday that their places of work have been reviewing the case. Keane stated in a press release that his workplace had requested Shah Alam’s full post-mortem report however “it could be inappropriate” to remark additional.
U.S. Customs and Border Safety pointed Wednesday to its earlier assertion that Shah Alam “confirmed no indicators of misery, mobility points, or disabilities requiring particular help” when brokers dropped him off Feb. 19 at a Tim Hortons restaurant.
“This loss of life had NOTHING to do” with Border Patrol, its guardian company, the Division of Homeland Safety, stated in a Feb. 27 social media submit, decrying information protection of the case as an effort “to demonize our regulation enforcement.”
Immigrant advocates referred to as Wednesday for justice for Shah Alam, a member of the Muslim Rohingya ethnic minority. The group has confronted discrimination and oppression in Buddhist-majority Myanmar.
Shah Alam sought security within the U.S. and “as a substitute, he was left to die on the street,” New York Immigration Coalition President Murad Awawdeh stated, calling for a felony investigation into the Border Patrol brokers’ conduct: “Each single one that was concerned have to be held accountable.”
Gov. Kathy Hochul equally referred to as for accountability for everybody concerned and stated her aides spoke to the district legal professional Wednesday afternoon. Hochul, a Democrat and Buffalo native, lambasted “the cruelty and inhumanity” of depositing a person who might barely see, or communicate English, exterior a then-closed restaurant.
Customs and Border Safety has stated the restaurant was chosen as “a heat, secure location” close to Shah Alam’s final recognized deal with.
Many particulars in regards to the man’s well being and last days aren’t publicly recognized, as his post-mortem report is confidential underneath New York regulation.
However Erie County Well being Commissioner Gale Burstein informed reporters that Shah Alam developed what is usually often known 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 really painful medical emergency that wants fast remedy, she stated.
Shah Alam, 56, left Myanmar a few years in the past for Malaysia, the place he labored in development. He got here to the U.S. as a refugee along with his spouse and two of his kids in December 2024, in accordance with advocates for the household.
Imran Fazal, who is aware of the household and based a gaggle referred to as the Rohingya Empowerment Neighborhood, stated Shah Alam’s loss of life left individuals grieving and fearful.
“This tragedy was solely preventable, and it displays a critical failure within the techniques meant to guard weak individuals,” Fazal stated Wednesday.
Shah Alam spent a couple of yr within the Erie County jail on felony assault and different expenses after a 2025 wrestle with police who encountered him carrying what seemed to be curtain rods. Police stated he bit two officers; advocates for his household stated that he hadn’t understood officers’ instructions to drop the gadgets.
He ultimately pleaded responsible to 2 lesser, misdemeanor expenses and was launched from jail Feb. 19. Border Patrol then briefly detained him earlier than 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 Publish, confirmed Shah Alam treading rigorously by means 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 night time.
Shah Alam’s lawyer in the end reported him lacking to Buffalo police on Feb. 22.
On Feb. 24, he was discovered useless close to the downtown sports activities enviornment the place the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres play. It was unclear how he received there from the Tim Hortons, a number of miles away, and Burstein stated Wednesday that it was inconceivable to find out precisely when he died.