2 months ago
Authorities person ruled that nan decease of Nurul Amin Shah, a 56-year-old Rohingya exile from Myanmar who was near by migration agents astatine a edifice successful Buffalo, was a homicide.
Shah, who was visually impaired, died connected 24 February, 5 days aft US Border Patrol agents dropped him disconnected successful nan parking batch of a Tim Hortons connected a acold wintertime nighttime without notifying his family aliases attorney.
In a statement, nan Erie region medical examiner’s agency said the origin of decease was “complications of a perforated duodenal ulcer precipitated by hypothermia and dehydration”, and ruled nan mode of decease a homicide. The agency said nan last determination was made connected 31 March.
The examiner added that, for decease certification purposes, “homicide” refers to a decease resulting from nan actions of different person, including negligent acts aliases omissions, and does not connote intent to origin harm aliases found criminal liability.
“When I sewage nan telephone from nan aesculapian examiner, my assemblage went into shock,” said Mohamad Faisal Nurul Amin, Shah’s son. “I felt for illustration I was going to propulsion up. I couldn’t move. Someone told my mother, and she was devastated. I americium still depressed.”
The ruling adds caller weight to an investigation into nan circumstances of Shah’s death.
In a statement, New York lawyer wide Letitia James, who opened a general investigation earlier successful March, said: “Mr Shah Alam fled genocide to build a life successful this country. Instead, he was abandoned and near to suffer unsocial successful his last hours.
“No New Yorker should beryllium treated this way. My agency is continuing our reappraisal of nan circumstances and curen that led to Mr Shah Alam’s death.”
In a connection to nan Guardian, nan Erie region territory attorney’s agency said it had requested nan autopsy study and would reappraisal nan findings alongside different evidence.
“We are committed to seeking nan truth and upholding justice,” nan agency said successful a statement. “While we admit nan request for answers, it would beryllium inappropriate to remark connected nan specifics of nan autopsy study aliases nan position of immoderate investigation astatine this time.”
Following nan breaking news, New York congressman Tim Kennedy said: “Mr Shah Alam would beryllium live coming pinch his family if he had entree to aesculapian care. Instead, he was callously abandoned connected a acold wintertime nighttime by nan Department of Homeland Security.
“In ray of this determination, DHS must afloat cooperate pinch nan lawyer general’s investigation and guarantee a transparent reappraisal of what happened.”
Shah had resettled successful Buffalo successful December 2024 pinch his woman and 2 sons aft fleeing decades of persecution successful Myanmar. Three of his sons and their families stay successful Malaysia, waiting to beryllium resettled.
Less than 2 months later, connected 15 February 2025, Shah was arrested.
According to his family, he had gone to a adjacent Burmese market shop and bought a fewer items, including a curtain rod he later utilized arsenic a stepping stick. Nearly unsighted and incapable to speak English, he became disoriented connected his measurement location and wandered into nan Black Rock vicinity of north-west Buffalo.
He entered nan backyard of Tracy Chicon, a achromatic resident, arsenic she was letting her canine out.
According to reporting by Investigative Post, Chicon called constabulary and described Shah arsenic “an unidentified Black man” successful her driveway. Chicon told authorities Shah had opened a gate, fto nan canine out, and damaged a shed doorway pinch nan curtain rod.
On 19 February, Erie region authorities transferred Shah to Border Patrol custody. Shah was held for respective hours earlier agents dropped him astatine a Tim Hortons parking batch astatine astir 8.18pm without informing his family aliases lawyer. Five days later, he was recovered dormant astir 4 miles from wherever he had been left.
The Guardian has contacted nan Erie region sheriff’s agency for remark connected nan homicide ruling.
The Department of Homeland Security said successful a connection to nan Guardian that Shah’s decease “had thing to do pinch Border Patrol” and described nan findings arsenic “another hoax being peddled by nan media and sanctuary politicians to demonize our rule enforcement”.
