Undercover NYPD Cop Charged With Manslaughter After Watercooler Kills Suspect Fleeing Drug Bust

The officer, Sergeant Erik Duran, 36, is also facing charges of assault and criminally negligent homicide, as reported by the police.

The incident, which occurred on August 23, led to the suspension of Duran. The victim, Eric Duprey, 30, was allegedly struck by a water cooler thrown by Duran as he attempted to flee from narcotics officers on his motorbike. At the time, Duran was working undercover with the Bronx Narcotics Division, conducting a buy-and-bust operation on Aqueduct Avenue. Police reports indicate that Duprey sold drugs to Duran, who was in plain clothes, and Duran then attempted to arrest him.

The impact from the cooler, which was filled with soda cans, caused Duprey to lose control of his scooter, leading him to collide with a parked Jeep. Duprey, a father of three, fell to the ground and was pronounced dead at the scene. Duran was arraigned on Tuesday, with bail set at $150,000 bond or a partially secured bond.

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Support for Duran was visible outside the Bronx courtroom on Tuesday, with a group of NYPD officers present. Simultaneously, members of the Black Lives Matter Greater New York gathered and chanted in support of Duprey before entering the courtroom. The NYPD declined to comment when contacted by DailyMail.com.

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CCTV footage captured the moment the cooler struck Duprey on the Bronx street. An image obtained by DailyMail.com showed the red cooler with a white handle that was thrown at Duprey during the drug bust. In a statement, the NYPD said, "The NYPD is committed to ensuring that there will be a full, thorough, and transparent investigation of this incident to determine the facts and to take the appropriate steps forward."

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The Medical Examiner's office ruled Duprey's death a homicide, caused by blunt force trauma to the head. A 42-year-old man, whose cooler was used in the incident, told NYDailyNews, "[Eric] was on the bike, moving north when the cops started chasing him. Then he took a U-turn and was riding on the sidewalk. The cop then took my cooler, which was filled with soda cans, water bottles, and hit him."

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Witnesses described a family party occurring nearby, with children left 'almost paralyzed by what they saw.' They added, "I think he died the moment he fell on the ground, because there was no movement. The cops tried doing CPR but that did not do any good."

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Jose Colon, Duprey's stepfather, criticized the police for their actions, questioning why Duran did not use authorized equipment instead of a cooler. Duprey's widow, Orlyanis Velez, expressed her fear and frustration over the lack of information provided to her. Erika Duprey Soto, Duprey's sister, found it unbelievable that a cooler was used as a weapon against her brother, who used the same scooter for his delivery job.

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Vincent Vallelong, the president of Sergeants Benevolent Association, defended Duran, stating that Duran made a split-second decision based on concern for others' safety. Duran, a 13-year NYPD veteran, joined the Bronx Narcotics Unit in September 2022. His disciplinary record shows that he was accused of abusing his authority during a stop last year, claims that the Civilian Complaint Review Board substantiated.

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Sources also revealed that Duprey had two previous arrests for felony assault and drugs. Despite this, Velez believes her husband should still be alive and wants Duran imprisoned. Duran is due back in court on April 18 and could face a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison if convicted on the top charge.