Current:Home > MySuspect on motorbike dies after NYPD sergeant throws cooler at him; officer suspended -MoneyFlow Academy
Suspect on motorbike dies after NYPD sergeant throws cooler at him; officer suspended
View
Date:2025-04-17 03:56:32
A man fleeing NYPD officers on a motorbike died after a sergeant threw a plastic cooler at him, causing him to crash, authorities said Wednesday. The officer has been suspended and the New York attorney general has launched an investigation into the incident.
According to CBS New York, NYPD sergeant Erik Duran was part of a "plainclothes buy-and-bust operation" that was attempting to apprehend 30-year-old Eric Duprey for selling narcotics in the Bronx. According to surveillance video, as Duprey attempted to flee the scene on a motorbike, an object hit him, causing him to lose control. CBS New York reported that Duprey crashed into a vehicle and hit his head.
According to the New York attorney general's office, that item that was hurled by the officer was a picnic cooler. Duprey, 30, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The NYPD said in a statement on social media that Duran had been suspended from duty without pay.
The incident will be investigated by the attorney general's Office of Special Investigation, which assesses every reported incident where a police officer may have caused the death of a person "by an act or omission."
Those who knew Duprey criticized the NYPD's reaction.
"He was a nice person. He was the best father in the world. We were going to take my kids to school next week and this is not right," said Orlyanis Velez, the mother of Duprey's two children, in an interview with CBS New York. "... There was no reason to kill him. He got no gun. He got nothing on him. Why you gotta kill him?"
Erik DeJesus, a neighbor of Duprey's, told CBS New York that other community residents witnessed the crash and are in shock.
"One of the ladies that witnessed don't even want to come out. She hasn't come out all day. I couldn't think last night just to know, I spoke to him a couple hours ago, and to know now he's gone, it's a little impactful, a little traumatic," DeJesus said.
According to CBS New York, a makeshift memorial has sprung up in the place where Duprey fell off his bike.
"Despite what police might say, what the rap sheet might say -- listen, I know a good person when I see one, and he was a humble dude," said DeJesus. "He always looked out for the neighborhood."
- In:
- The Bronx
- New York City Police Department
- NYPD
- Letitia James
- New York City
- New York
Kerry Breen is a news editor and reporter for CBS News. Her reporting focuses on current events, breaking news and substance use.
veryGood! (722)
Related
- Rylee Arnold Shares a Long
- Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney won't take live calls on weekly radio show
- California lawmakers pass protections for pregnant women in prisons and ban on legacy admissions
- Daughter of ex-MLB pitcher Greg Swindell found 'alive and well' in Oregon after search
- The city of Chicago is ordered to pay nearly $80M for a police chase that killed a 10
- US Justice Department says Kentucky may be violating federal law for lack of mental health services
- Vanderpump Rules’ Brittany Cartwright Files for Divorce From Jax Taylor After 5 Years of Marriage
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Turn Up the Heat
- South Korea's acting president moves to reassure allies, calm markets after Yoon impeachment
- 'I was trying to survive': Yale Fertility Center patients say signs of neglect were there all along
Ranking
- Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
- Pacific Islands Climate Risk Growing as Sea Level Rise Accelerates
- Wisconsin judge rules governor properly used partial veto powers on literacy bill
- ‘ER’ creator Michael Crichton’s estate sues Warner Bros. over upcoming hospital drama ‘The Pitt’
- Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time
- Judge accepts insanity plea from man who attacked Virginia congressman’s office with bat
- New Jersey woman accused of climbing into tiger's enclosure faces trespassing charge
- Kylie Kelce Reveals the Personal Change Jason Kelce Has Made Since NFL Retirement
Recommendation
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow owns a $3 million Batmobile Tumbler
When is the NFL's roster cut deadline? Date, time
Philadelphia airport celebrates its brigade of stress-busting therapy dogs
Special counsel urges appeals court to reinstate classified documents case against Trump
Pressure on a veteran and senator shows what’s next for those who oppose Trump
Pregnant Margot Robbie Puts Baby Bump on Display During Vacation With Tom Ackerley
The price of happiness? $200,000, according to one recent survey
New Hampshire resident dies after testing positive for mosquito-borne encephalitis virus