Grueling police academy exercise kills young recruit Enrique Delgado-Garcia after he was left with ‘injuries similar to 100mph car crash’ while boxing

An investigation has been launched into the mysterious death of a Massachusetts State Police recruit who suffered a “medical crisis” during defensive tactics training.

Enrique Delgado-Garcia, 25, died Friday in the hospital, a day after boxing practice at the Massachusetts State Police Academy in New Braintree, about 80 miles (130 kilometers) west of Boston.

Delgado-Garcia was so badly injured that he suffered severe brain trauma, a broken neck and lost several teeth. Doctors said his injuries were so severe that it appeared he had been involved in a 100 mph car crash.

The district attorney who was supposed to investigate the case has now ordered that another agency investigate his death. Delgado-Garcia had worked for 18 months as a victim-witness advocate in the district attorney’s office and was well known to the staff.

In April he started his training to fulfill his lifelong dream: becoming a member of the MSP.

A state police spokesman said the academy’s medical team immediately responded to the scene after Delgado-Garcia was found unresponsive during the training exercise last Thursday.

The recruit was wearing boxing gloves, a headgear and a protective sports cup at the time.

The medical team determined that he needed urgent medical attention and took him to the hospital, where he died on Friday.

Delgado-Garcia’s mother told reporters with NBC10 Boston that he had been hit and seriously injured.

“I don’t understand why it was so hard if it was just training?” Sandra Garcia said through tears in Spanish.

‘I want them to explain to me, the state to explain to me what happened to my son… Why did he hit him so hard that he died, that his brain was destroyed and all of my son’s teeth were broken and he also had a fractured neck, my son.’

She continued, “The doctor said my son’s injuries were more like injuries he would have sustained if he had been in a car going 100 miles per hour. The impact the boy gave my son was so hard.”

Garcia and other family members declined to speak at the press conference.

“I feel ashamed of the MSP and I think they should investigate this thoroughly and get justice because the way they are treating these troops is not right,” a friend of Delgado told Teleworld.

“If my friend ended up like this, he could be anyone’s son or daughter,” he added.

Police training may include a range of physical confrontations to defend against tackles, punches and other attacks.

It has not been revealed what type of exercise Delgado-Garcia participated in, but video reportedly exists of him participating in the workout.

Early said the autopsy report has not yet been completed.

“We cannot release any information regarding the cause of death or the cause of death at this time,” he said.

Of the training exercise, he said, “We know it was in the boxing ring. It was filmed.” Early said he had not yet seen the video.

Early described him as “a fine, decent young man” with a smile that “could light up a room.”

“These guys are having a hard time,” he said, referring to the workers in the room. “Enrique Delgado-Garcia was loved by everyone in our office,” he said.

“We were trying to get him to come home, saying, ‘Enrique, what are you doing here? It’s time to go home.’ He said, ‘No, Mr. Early, I’m going to leave soon. I have to do a few things.’

“I begged Enrique to stay (at the DA’s office). I said, ‘Come on, you have a home here.’ We talked about him coming back to our office as a detective with the Massachusetts State Police. He was such a fine, decent young man. This was just a great kid.”

Delgado-Garcia’s class is expected to graduate on October 9.

According to a state police spokesman, he was sworn in by state police in the last hours of his life.

“The Massachusetts State Police administered the oath of office in the final hours of Enrique Delgado-Garcia’s life. He was surrounded by family, loved ones and classmates during the bilingual ceremony, which culminated with the pinning on of his Trooper Badge,” said Tim McGuirk.

State Police Col. John Mawn Jr. said in a statement that his department “is committed to providing support and resources to trainee Delgado-Garcia’s family, friends and colleagues in the days and weeks ahead as they cope with this unimaginable loss.”

A GoFundMe was established to help pay the costs of funerals.

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey released a statement saying she was deeply saddened by the loss of Delgado-Garcia.

“I am deeply saddened by the loss of Enrique Delgado-Garcia, a trainee with the Massachusetts State Police, who dedicated himself to a career protecting the people of Massachusetts.

“He was a beloved member of his academy class, known for his compassion and dedication to service. This is a devastating time for all who knew and loved him, and we hold Enrique’s family and his State Police community in our hearts,” she said.

During a press conference Monday, District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. recounted how Delgado-Garcia often stayed late helping people while he worked in the district attorney’s office.

“Because of this close relationship, someone else will handle this matter,” Early said, surrounded by tearful Delgado-Garcia family members and former colleagues.

“This office can’t handle this. Everyone loved Enrique.”

Early said detectives assigned to his office will continue the investigation, but they will work with the agency that takes over the case.

He said he had spoken to several agencies in the state about taking over the case, but declined to name them. He said it would not be another district attorney’s office.

“My concern is that we can’t investigate it. I want it to be done by someone who has no interest in the outcome,” he said.

“We have a conflict, but we can’t stop the investigation. They will continue to investigate as they would any other case, and will cooperate with whoever takes on this case.”