A police operation in New York City went horribly wrong after a police officer knocked a suspect unconscious by throwing a cooler at his head last Wednesday.
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Late in the afternoon, plainclothes police tried to arrest a man in the Bronx for drug possession. He had just tried to sell them narcotics.
However, the 30-year-old man allegedly tried to escape on his motorcycle until one of the officers threw a cooler at him to prevent him from escaping them.
Suspect Eric Duprey then lost control of his vehicle and fell violently to the ground. His death was announced immediately.
The officer who ended his life, Sergeant Erik Duran, had been a member of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) Drugs Unit since 2010. Last year he was promoted to detective.
Because of his actions, the police officer was suspended without pay.
justice demanded
However, relatives of the victim believe that the officer should be punished more severely.
“What he did, you don’t do to anyone. You have to put him behind bars. A suspension without pay does us sufferers no good,” said a friend of Eric Duprey.
The 30-year-old victim was the father of three children, aged 5, 7 and 9.
The New York State Judiciary opened an investigation.