BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) \u2014 The Erie County Medical Examiner’s Office has ruled the death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam a homicide.<\/p>\n
According to a spokesperson for the Erie County Department of Health, the Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the cause of death was “complications of a perforated duodenal ulcer precipitated by hypothermia and dehydration, and the manner of death was homicide.”<\/p>\n
The following statement was also released on behalf of Erie County:<\/p>\n
“The cause of death\u202frefers to the\u202fdisease or injury that initiates the lethal sequence of events. The manner of death\u202fdescribes the circumstances of a death, or how the cause came about.\u202fFor death certification purposes, \u201chomicide\u201d refers to death resulting from the volitional act of another, which may include negligent acts or omissions. The designation of homicide does not imply intent to cause harm or death.\u202fManner of death determinations are neutral, non-legal, and exist for vital statistical purposes, only. They do not indicate criminality, which is the purview of the judicial system.<\/p>\n
The\u202fErie County\u202fME’s office\u202fdetermination is an evidence-based\u202fmedical\u202fconclusion\u202fmade by a board-certified pathologist, informed by a\u202fphysical\u202fexamination,\u202flaboratory testing,\u202fand review of all available medical and investigative materials. With respect for Mr. Alam\u2019s family\u2019s privacy and in accordance with state law, our department will not be offering any further information to the public.”<\/p>\n
In February, Shah Alam, a partially blind refugee, was released from the Erie County Holding Center after being held on assault charges for a year. <\/p>\n
As he was being processed to be released, the Erie County Sheriff’s Office alerted Border Patrol and he was taken into custody by Border Patrol, which had an immigration detainer on him at the time.<\/p>\n
Border Patrol then realized he was not eligible to be deported, and agents dropped him off outside a closed Tim Hortons in Riverside. Five days later, he was found dead near Key Bank Center<\/a>.<\/p>\n A U.S. Customs and Border Protection Spokesperson previously released a statement to 7 News that said in part that “Border Patrol agents offered him a courtesy ride, which he chose to accept to a coffee shop, determined to be a warm, safe location near his last known address, rather than be released directly from the Border Patrol station.”<\/p>\n You can find a full timeline of events provided by Buffalo police, as well as additional information obtained by the 7 News I-Team, on our site here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Earlier this week, Assemblyman Jon Rivera called for the Erie County Legislature to hold a hearing on how the sheriff’s office handled the case<\/a>.<\/p>\n ‘We…have the right to know’: Calls for investigation into what led to death of Rohingya refugee<\/p>\n