Death of a refugee left at a Buffalo doughnut shop by Border Patrol is ruled a homicide

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The death of a nearly blind refugee from Myanmar who was found on a Buffalo street in February — five days after Border Patrol agents left him at a doughnut shop — has been ruled a homicide, authorities said Wednesday.

The Erie County Medical Examiner’s Office didn’t reach any conclusions about responsibility for Nurul Amin Shah Alam’s death, which the agency said was caused by complications of a perforated duodenal ulcer, precipitated by hypothermia and dehydration. Ruling a death a homicide means it resulted from another person’s actions — or inaction — but doesn’t necessarily mean that a crime was committed.

Erie County officials planned a news conference later Wednesday.

A message seeking comment was sent to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The agency has previously said that Shah Alam “showed no signs of distress, mobility issues, or disabilities requiring special assistance” when agents dropped him off Feb. 19 at a Tim Hortons restaurant north of Buffalo’s downtown. The agency said the establishment was chosen as a warm, safe location near his last known address.

The restaurant was closed at the time, Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan has said.

Shah Alam, 56, had been released from a county jail and then briefly detained by Border Patrol, until the federal agency determined he wasn’t eligible for deportation. His family, which had been awaiting his release from jail, wasn’t informed of it.

Shah Alam’s lawyer ultimately reported him missing to Buffalo police on Feb. 22.

On Feb. 24, he was found dead near the downtown sports arena where the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres play. It was unclear how he got there from the Tim Hortons, several miles away, or when he died.

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