Undercover officer Erik Duran, who was suspended over the death of a man he allegedly threw a cooler at, “will be cleared of all wrongdoing and wrongdoing,” his lawyer claimed.
Eric Duprey, 30, “sold” drugs to the New York City Police Department sergeant on Aqueduct Avenue, in the Bronx, Wednesday afternoon before attempting to flee on a scooter.
Duran threw at him a cooler filled with soda cans – which he had taken from a bystander who was standing in the street with his family.
As a result, the suspect lost control of his scooter and collided with a parked Jeep. The officer is suspended while the case is investigated.
The death was ruled a homicide and a source said charges will be brought against Duran by a grand jury, but his lawyer is confident he will be acquitted.
Undercover cop Erik Duran, who was suspended over the death of Eric Duprey (pictured), at whom he allegedly threw a cooler, ‘will be cleared of any wrongdoing and wrongdoing,’ his lawyer claimed
Duran’s attorney Andrew Quinn said there is more to the incident than a 10-second clip of the incident can reveal.
What is indisputably clear is that the deceased, who was trying to evade arrest for selling drugs to an undercover cop, rode a motorcycle down a busy sidewalk in an incredibly dangerous manner, endangering the life and safety of everyone there. came,” he says. told The New York Post.
“Once a full investigation has been conducted, we are confident that Sgt.
Duran will be cleared of any wrongdoing or wrongdoing.”
An image obtained by DailyMail.com showed the red cooler with a white handle being hurled at Duprey during the drug bust
The officer was working undercover as part of the Bronx Narcotics Division and was conducting a buy-and-bust operation when he allegedly threw the cooler at Duprey.
Duprey fell to the ground and died of “blunt injuries” and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Sergeant Duran was suspended early Thursday morning.
CCTV footage shows the moment the cooler hit the man on Bronx Street.
An image obtained by DailyMail.com showed the red cooler with a white handle hurled at Duprey during the drug bust.
The NYPD said in a statement following the incident: “Earlier today, Sergeant Erik Duran of the New York Police Department was suspended without pay following a deadly incident in the Bronx on Wednesday afternoon involving a man attempting to flee from police. on a motorcycle.
Duprey was trying to get away when he crashed to the ground just after 5:20 p.m. Wednesday — now NYPD Sergeant Duran is suspended while police investigate
You can see the red cooler lying on the ground on the sidewalk
The New York State Attorney General’s Office is leading the investigation into this incident with the assistance of the New York City Police Department’s Force Investigation Division.
“The NYPD is committed to ensuring that there is a full, thorough, and transparent investigation into this incident to establish the facts and take appropriate steps forward.”
A 42-year-old man, whose ice box was used during the ordeal, recounted NYDailyNews: “(Eric) was on a bike and was heading north when the police started chasing him.
Then he made a U-turn and drove onto the sidewalk. The officer then grabbed my cooler, which was filled with soda cans and water bottles, and hit him.”
Witnesses described how a family celebration took place nearby – and the children were “almost paralyzed by what they saw.”
They continued, “I think he died the moment he fell to the ground, because there was no movement. The police tried to resuscitate, but that didn’t help.’
Jose Colon, the dead man’s stepfather, denounced the police for their actions.
He said, “Why couldn’t the agent use any device he had permission to use? Why did he hit him with a cooler? What happened to the cop’s Taser?”
Duprey’s wife Orlyanis Velez added: “We were not given any information. I’m scared because (the police) act like nothing happened.’
Due to the fatal blow of the cool box – which was filled with soda cans – the suspect lost control of his scooter and crashed into a parked Jeep
Erika Duprey Soto, his sister, said, “It’s insane that the cop threw a cooler at him. He worked as a delivery driver for Uber, Doordash. He was using the same scooter he was riding on when he was attacked yesterday for deliveries.
‘He is gone. I loved my brother dearly.’
According to public records, Officer Duran joined the force in 2010 and has faced 17 allegations of misconduct during his career.
Only once, for an unnecessary stop, was substantiated. Duran also made 197 arrests during his NYPD role. He is suspended without pay.
Duran was reprimanded by his colleagues. According to the New York Daily News, a police official said, “The use of force here is not in accordance with our guidelines.
“We don’t train cops to pick up something and throw it at a suspect.”
Duprey had two previous arrests, including an open felony case in the Bronx dating back to June 2022.
According to one source, he allegedly threw a bottle of soda through someone’s car window.