The death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam, a nearly blind refugee from Myanmar, has been ruled a homicide by the Erie County Medical Examiner’s Office. The ruling, which indicates death resulted from another person’s actions or inaction, was attributed to complications from a perforated duodenal ulcer, exacerbated by hypothermia and dehydration. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has disavowed responsibility, stating Shah Alam showed no signs of distress when agents dropped him off at a Tim Hortons, which was found to be closed at the time. Officials are continuing to review the case, with advocates calling for accountability and justice for Shah Alam, a member of the persecuted Rohingya minority.
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The death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam, a nearly blind refugee from Myanmar, has been ruled a homicide by the Erie County Medical Examiner’s Office. Shah Alam died of complications from a perforated duodenal ulcer, exacerbated by hypothermia and dehydration, five days after Border Patrol agents left him at a closed doughnut shop. Authorities are reviewing the case, with some calling for a criminal investigation into the Border Patrol agents’ actions, while the agency maintains Shah Alam showed no signs of distress when dropped off. The victim, a Rohingya Muslim, had recently been released from jail and was not in contact with his family at the time of his death.
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Surveillance footage obtained by the Investigative Post contradicts the Department of Homeland Security’s claim that Border Patrol agents dropped Nurul Shah Alam, a nearly blind Rohingya refugee, at a “warm, safe location.” The video shows agents leaving Shah Alam in the parking lot of a closed Tim Hortons on a winter evening, with no apparent attempt to ensure his safety or ability to access the establishment. Shah Alam, who spoke no English and had significant vision impairment, was found dead days later after wandering the city, with his family and lawyers unaware of his release location.
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Nurul Amin Shah Alam, a 56-year-old Burmese refugee, has been found deceased in Buffalo, New York, after being reportedly abandoned by border patrol agents. He had been in custody for approximately a year following an arrest in 2025 for assault, trespassing, and weapon possession, which stemmed from him getting lost while on a walk. Shah Alam was dropped off by border patrol at a Tim Hortons, miles from his home, without notification to his attorney or family. Homicide detectives are now investigating the events leading to his death.
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John Q. Hosedrinker