A man was killed in a tragic incident that occurred in the University Heights neighborhood of the Bronx during a motorbike chase with New York City police.
Eric Duprey, 30, met a tragic end when a plastic picnic cooler thrown by Sergeant Erik Duran led to a fatal crash. The incident has prompted an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Duprey’s death.
New York Sergeant Duran’s Surprising Involvement
The event transpired on a Wednesday evening around 5:30 p.m. when surveillance footage captured Duprey riding a gas-powered motorcycle on a sidewalk. In a surprising turn of events, the video showed Sergeant Duran, who was not in uniform at the time, picking up a red picnic cooler and hurling it at Duprey’s motorcycle.
Struck by the object, Duprey lost control of his vehicle, careening towards a tree before colliding with a metal barricade and a parked car. Tragically, he was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after the crash.
The incident took place amid a buy-and-bust operation executed by the Bronx Narcotics Unit, as Duprey was reportedly caught selling drugs to an undercover officer.
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Unraveling the Events Leading to Tragedy
However, Duprey’s mother, Gretchen Soto, strongly contested this narrative, asserting that her son was merely on a video call with her from Puerto Rico when the call abruptly ended. She insisted that he wasn’t fleeing or engaging in illegal activity.
Duprey, a Bronx resident and a delivery driver, leaves behind three young children, aged three, five, and nine. Soto mourned the loss of her son, calling for justice for the sake of his fatherless children.
Sergeant Duran, a 13-year veteran and member of the Bronx Narcotics Unit, has been suspended without pay following the incident.
His action has ignited controversy, especially considering his history of accolades for meritorious service along with a prior substantiated complaint for abusing his authority during a stop, according to the Civilian Complaint Review Board.
The New York attorney general, Letitia James, whose jurisdiction covers police-related deaths, is overseeing the investigation in collaboration with the New York Police Department.
The NYPD expressed commitment to a thorough and transparent inquiry to establish the facts surrounding this tragic event. As the investigation unfolds, questions linger about the circumstances leading to Duprey’s untimely demise and the actions of those involved.
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