Family outraged after death of Mass. State Police trainee

The family of a Massachusetts State Police trainee whom officials have said was seriously injured during an exercise at the academy and died are outraged.

25-year-old Enrique Delgado, a recruit at the State Police Academy in Braintree, died after a medical crisis during a training exercise.

Now, his family has questions about how a training could have left him with serious injuries including severe brain trauma.

The Massachusetts State Police say Enrique Delgado-Garcia died after being hurt in a defensive tactics exercise, but family members are demanding an explanation for his fatal injuries.

Mass. State Police said in a statement that he suffered a medical crisis during a defensive tactics training and became unresponsive.

He was later rushed to the hospital, where he died.

Delgado’s family said their loved one suffered a broken neck, missing teeth and severe brain damage and are now demanding accountability as well as an explanations to what went on inside the walls of the academy.

Enrique Delgado Garcia’s family says the 25-year-old Massachusetts State Police trainee whom authorities say was injured in an exercise at the department’s academy died after sustaining injuries including a broken neck and missing teeth.

“I’m ashamed of MSP, and I feel like they need to thoroughly investigate this and justice needs to be brought because its not okay how they’re treating these troops.” said a friend of Delgado. “If my friend could end up like this this could be anyones son or daughter.”

State Police offered their support to Delgado’s family, calling his death a heartbreaking loss.

Governor Maura Healey issued a statement on the recruit’s death.

“I’m heartbroken about the loss of Massachusetts State Police Trainee Enrique Delgado-Garcia, who had committed himself to a career protecting the people of Massachusetts. He was a beloved member of his academy class, known for his compassion and devotion to service. This is a devastating time for all who knew and loved him, and we are holding Enrique’s family and his State Police community in our hearts.” 

Massachusetts Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll echoed the governor’s feelings in her statement.

“It’s a tragic loss. We are all really just feeling it for his family. For Enrique. For his academy classmates. And express so much sympathy. Young man. Had a career ahead of him protecting people of Massachusetts was his goal. And so we’re incredibly saddened by it. It’s just tragic.”