Bronx BP Gibson supports charges for NYPD sergeant after man dies during drug bust
THE BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) – Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson says she supports charges against an NYPD sergeant after he threw a cooler at a suspect's head, causing the man to crash a motorbike and die.
"He should be charged because his actions were negligent, violent, and obviously contributed to this young man's death," Gibson said on the PIX11 Morning News.
The Bronx community on Saturday called for justice for 30-year-old Eric Duprey during a rally on Aqueduct Avenue.
Duprey was attempting to flee the scene of an undercover drug bust when he was struck in the head with a cooler while traveling on a scooter, according to police and video of the incident. Duprey lost control and slammed into a parked car. The father of three young children died from head injuries.
"Regardless of the circumstances surrounding this young man, he did not deserve to die in this fashion. He was a father, and a husband, who left behind children, and I mourn the loss of this young man in our borough," Gibson said.
The NYPD sergeant, Erik Duran, was suspended without pay just hours after Duprey’s death. The NYPD said there will be a full and thorough investigation. The New York Attorney General’s Office is also investigating.
Duprey's family has questioned the NYPD's narrative, saying they don't believe he was involved in the drug bust.
On Monday, a makeshift memorial for Duprey continued to grow with photos and candles. Loved ones and friends remembered the food delivery driver as a devoted father with a passion for motorcycles.
For the Bronx borough president, the video speaks for itself.
"The video is disturbing, it's heartbreaking, it's outrageous. When you see the actions this officer engaged in, throwing an object at someone to stop them from fleeing is not in police protocol, no matter what," Gibson said.
The medical examiner ruled Duprey's death a homicide. He died from blunt force injuries to the head.