Rohingya Refugee Death in Border Parking Lot Ruled Homicide, Questions of Accountability Raised
The death of Nurul Amin Shah, a visually impaired Rohingya refugee, has been officially ruled a homicide by the Erie County Medical Examiner’s office. Shah died on February 24th, five days after being left by US Border Patrol agents at a Buffalo restaurant parking lot on a cold winter night without notification to his family or attorney. The ruling, which cites complications from a perforated duodenal ulcer precipitated by hypothermia and dehydration, emphasizes that “homicide” in this context refers to a death resulting from the actions or omissions of another person and does not imply intent to cause harm. This determination adds significant weight to the ongoing investigations by the New York Attorney General and the Erie County District Attorney’s office into the circumstances surrounding his abandonment and subsequent death.
John Q. Hosedrinker