BUFFALO, N.Y. — Medical examiners in Erie County have classified the February death of a visually impaired refugee from Myanmar as a homicide, officials announced Wednesday.
Nurul Amin Shah Alam, 56, was discovered deceased on a Buffalo street in late February, five days after federal Border Patrol agents had dropped him off at a Tim Hortons doughnut shop.
According to the Erie County Medical Examiner’s Office, Shah Alam died from complications related to a perforated duodenal ulcer, which was worsened by hypothermia and dehydration. The medical examiner’s office did not assign blame for the death.
When authorities classify a death as homicide, it indicates the death resulted from someone else’s actions or failure to act, though it doesn’t automatically indicate criminal activity occurred.
County officials scheduled a press conference for later Wednesday to discuss the findings.
TV Delmarva reached out to U.S. Customs and Border Protection for a response. The federal agency had previously stated that Shah Alam appeared to have no distress, movement problems, or disabilities requiring special care when officers left him at the restaurant on February 19th. According to the agency, they selected the Tim Hortons location because it provided a secure, heated environment close to his most recent known residence.
However, Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan confirmed the restaurant was not open for business when Shah Alam was left there.
The refugee had just been released from county jail and was temporarily held by Border Patrol before officials determined he could not be deported. His family members, who had been waiting for his jail release, were never notified that he had been freed.
Shah Alam’s attorney filed a missing person report with Buffalo police on February 22nd.
Two days later, on February 24th, his body was discovered near the downtown sports complex where the Buffalo Sabres hockey team plays. Investigators have not determined how he traveled the several miles from the Tim Hortons to that location, or established the exact time of his death.
