Buffalo, NY (WBEN) - A 56 year old Burmese Refugee, who was previously reported to be missing, was found dead by Buffalo Police officers late Tuesday night downtown in the area of Keybank Center.
Nurul Amin Shah Alam, who was partially blind and spoke little english, had spent the past year in the Erie County Holding Center after being indicted on assault, burglary and criminal mischief charges. He pleaded guilty to those charges earlier this month.
Erie County District Attorney Mike Keane said his office had expected Shah Alam to remain in jail until his sentencing next month, but he was released to Customs and Border Patrol, who are accused of dropping him off at a Tim Hortons restaurant on Niagara Street near where he had previously lived last week.
The District Attorney said his office was not made aware of his release until after his death.
Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan called the death a "dereliction of duty" by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
"U.S. Customs and Border Protection must answer for how and why this happened," Ryan said, in a statement.