US Border Patrol Abandonment of Rohingya Refugee Ruled a Homicide
Authorities have officially determined that the death of Nurul Amin Shah, a 56-year-old Rohingya refugee from Myanmar, constitutes a homicide. Shah, who was visually impaired, passed away on February 24, five days after US Border Patrol agents abandoned him in the parking lot of a Tim Hortons restaurant in Buffalo during a cold winter night, without notifying his family or legal representative.
Medical Examiner's Findings and Family Reaction
The Erie County Medical Examiner's Office released a statement confirming that the cause of death was complications of a perforated duodenal ulcer precipitated by hypothermia and dehydration. The office ruled the manner of death as homicide on March 31, clarifying that for certification purposes, homicide refers to a death resulting from another person's actions, including negligent acts or omissions, and does not imply intent to harm or establish criminal liability.
Mohamad Faisal Nurul Amin, Shah's son, expressed profound grief upon receiving the news. When I got the call from the medical examiner, my body went into shock, he said. I felt like I was going to throw up. I couldn't move. Someone told my mother, and she was devastated. I am still depressed.
Investigation and Official Responses
This ruling adds significant weight to an ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding Shah's death. New York Attorney General Letitia James, who initiated a formal inquiry in March, stated, Mr Shah Alam fled genocide to build a life in this country. Instead, he was abandoned and left to suffer alone in his final hours. No New Yorker should be treated this way. Her office continues to review the treatment that led to Shah's demise.
The Erie County District Attorney's Office has requested the autopsy report and is reviewing the findings alongside other evidence. In a statement, they emphasized, We are committed to seeking the truth and upholding justice, while declining to comment on specifics due to the active investigation.
Political and Agency Reactions
Following the announcement, New York Congressman Tim Kennedy remarked, Mr Shah Alam would be alive today with his family if he had access to medical care. Instead, he was callously abandoned on a cold winter night by the Department of Homeland Security. He urged DHS to cooperate fully with the attorney general's investigation.
In contrast, the Department of Homeland Security issued a statement to the Guardian denying any involvement, calling the findings another hoax being peddled by the media and sanctuary politicians to demonize our law enforcement.
Background and Events Leading to the Tragedy
Shah had resettled in Buffalo in December 2024 with his wife and two sons after escaping decades of persecution in Myanmar. Less than two months later, on February 15, 2025, he was arrested. According to his family, Shah, nearly blind and unable to speak English, became disoriented while returning from a Burmese grocery store, where he had purchased a curtain rod he used as a walking stick.
He wandered into the Black Rock neighborhood, entering the backyard of Tracy Chicon, who called police and described him as an unidentified Black man. Authorities reported that Shah had opened a gate, let a dog out, and damaged a shed door with the curtain rod.
On February 19, Erie County authorities transferred Shah to Border Patrol custody. After being held for several hours, agents dropped him at the Tim Hortons parking lot around 8:18 PM without informing his family or lawyer. Five days later, he was found dead approximately four miles from where he had been abandoned.
The Guardian has contacted the Erie County Sheriff's Office for comment on the homicide ruling, with no response received at the time of reporting.
