A man died Wednesday after a police sergeant with the NYPD hurled a picnic cooler at the suspect riding a scooter away from an alleged drug sale, officials said.
Sergeant Erik Duran is now under investigation as police and state officials look into how the afternoon encounter in the Bronx led to the death of Eric Duprey.
Police said Duprey was caught selling narcotics to an undercover officer in Washington Heights. The 30-year-old man was on his scooter and sped off, zig-zagging down the street and then on the sidewalk toward officers, senior officials said Thursday.
Surveillance video shows the final moments of that chase when the sergeant in plainclothes grabs a red cooler and throws it at Duprey, knocking the man off his motorized ride. He was pronounced dead at the scene on Aqueduct Avenue.
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New York Attorney General Letitia James identified the 30-year-old man who died and announced the investigation her office would undertake pursuant to state law. The attorney general is required to look into deaths at the hands of police in the state.
A large memorial for Duprey continued to grow in size Thursday as his family and loves on lit candles, laid down flowers and hung large photographs of the father. His family members are looking for answers.
"I don't really understand what happened," his sister, Erica Duprey, said.
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The man's wife, Orlyalis Velez, is demanding justice. She wants the sergeant behind bars for his role in Duprey's death.
"This is abuse, power abuse," Velez told News 4. "There was no reason to kill him. He don't got no gun. He got nothing on him."
"I don't want [Duran] suspended, I want him in jail," she added. "He's still home, he still sees his family."
Law enforcement sources said Duprey had two prior arrests for felony assault and drugs. His wife said Duprey was a caring father and should still be alive.
The NYPD tweeted out a brief statement confirming the sergeant's suspension. They also said the city medical examiner will determine Duprey's cause of death.
"The NYPD is committed to ensuring that there will be a full, thorough, and transparent investigation of this incident to determine the facts and to take the appropriate steps forward," the statement concluded.
Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson said in a statement that the incident was a "sad and unfortunate tragedy" and offered her condolences to the family.
"Our borough continues to face challenges with many complaints from residents about illegal activity in our communities but no one deserves to lose their life in this way," Gibson's statement read.
Duran, a 13-year veteran of the department, joined the Bronx Narcotics Unit last September. He has been recognized by the department dozens of times for what it deems excellent and meritorious police service, according to a police personnel database.
Duran's disciplinary record includes a substantiated complaint last year for abusing his authority during a stop, according to the city's Civilian Complaint Review Board.
