Blind Dad of 2 Is Found Dead After Being Released by Border Patrol and Left to Find His Way Home 5 Miles Away

Nurul Amin Shah Alam was found dead in Buffalo, N.Y. after he was dropped off at a coffee shop by Border Patrol agents

NEED TO KNOW

• A blind dad of two was found dead in Buffalo, N.Y., after he was dropped off at a Tim Horton’s restaurant by Border Patrol officials
• Buffalo Police Department officers responded to a “dead body call” on Tuesday, Feb. 24, and identified the victim as Nurul Amin Shah Alam, a refugee from Burma
• In a statement shared with PEOPLE, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol said that agents offered Shah Alam a “courtesy ride” to the Tim Horton’s

A blind dad of two has died after he was taken into custody by Border Patrol officers and allegedly left miles away from his home, according to reports.

The Buffalo Police Department announced earlier this week that it was seeking the public's help in searching for Nurul Amin Shah Alam, a refugee from Burma, who was reported missing on Sunday, Feb. 22, by his attorney, according to WIVB.

In the days before his death, Shah Alam had been released to Border Patrol custody after serving months in jail following a 2025 arrest on assault charges. After picking him up, the agents are accused of dropping off Shah Alam, who was vision-impaired and spoke limited English, at a Tim Hortons restaurant in Buffalo on Thursday, Feb. 19, the Independent Post reported.

According to court records viewed by PEOPLE, Shah Alam was arrested on multiple charges of assault and criminal mischief following an incident in which he was allegedly armed that resulted in "minor injuries" on Feb. 15, 2025, according to WKBW. After he was arrested, an immigration hold detainer was issued by the U.S. Border Patrol.

Shah Alam was later indicted in June 2025 by a grand jury on felony assault and criminal mischief charges, per the outlet. He later pled guilty to reduced charges of criminal possession of a weapon and criminal trespass, and was scheduled for a sentencing hearing on March 24.

Shah Alam's attorney previously maintained that his criminal case stemmed from him becoming lost while on a walk in 2025 and ending up on a stranger's porch while using a curtain rod as a walking stick, the Investigative Post reported. Shah Alam did not speak English and didn't respond to commands from officers who responded to the scene and told him to drop his rod. 

Following the plea, Shah Alam's bail was continued and he was released from custody on Feb. 19, according to a statement shared with PEOPLE by the Erie County Sheriff's Office (ECSO).

“Nurul Amin Shah Alam was booked into the Erie County Holding Center on February 16, 2025 after being arrested by the Buffalo Police Department," the Erie County Sheriff's Department said in a statement. "Upon his admission, we received an immigration detainer that was lodged by U.S. Border Patrol. Mr. Shah Alam was released from our custody on February 19, 2026 after bond was posted."

According to the ECSO, Border Patrol officers arrived at the Holding Center "prior to the finalization of Mr. Shah Alam's release from the Erie County Sheriff's Office custody."

In a statement, a spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection confirmed to PEOPLE that Shah Alam "entered the United States as a refugee on December 24, 2024, and was not amenable to removal."

On Monday, Feb. 23, the Buffalo Police Department announced that it was no longer searching for Shah Alam, who was found after police were called to respond to a report of a dead body on Perry St., and Shah Alam was later identified by the Erie County Medical Examiner as the victim, according to WKBW.

In the meantime, in the days after Shah Amin was reported missing by his attorney, a Buffalo Police Department officer "mistakenly" closed the missing persons case associated with his disappearance because they believed that Shah Amin was in ICE custody, WIVB reported.

According to the CBP spokesperson, Shah Alam was offered a "courtesy ride" from Border Patrol agents, "which he chose to accept to a coffee shop, determined to be a warm, safe location near his last known address, rather than be released directly from the Border Patrol station."

"He showed no signs of distress, mobility issues, or disabilities requiring special assistance," the statement continued. "The U.S. Border Patrol defers to the Buffalo Police Department for further questions.”

In a statement shared with PEOPLE, the Buffalo Police Department said that the agency's homicide detectives are "investigating the circumstances and timeframe of events leading up to his death, following his release from custody."

Buffalo PD also noted that the Erie County Medical Examiner's Office performed an autopsy on Shah Alam, and determined that his cause of death was "health-related," and that "exposure and homicide have been ruled out" as potential causes.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Buffalo Mayor Sean M. Ryan described Shah Alam's death as both "preventable" and "deeply disturbing" in a statement shared to social media on Feb. 25.

"A vulnerable man — nearly blind and unable to speak English — was left alone on a cold winter night with no known attempt to leave him in a safe, secure location," Ryan said. "That decision from U.S. Customs and Border Protection was unprofessional and inhumane."

Ryan added that "Buffalo is a city that welcomes refugees and believes government should protect human dignity, not endanger it. U.S. Customs and Border Protection failed that basic standard."

New York Congressman Tim Kennedy echoed Ryan's criticism and called for an investigation into Shah Alam's death.

“The death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam is a horrific and heartbreaking tragedy," Kennedy said in a statement, per WIVB. "Mr. Alam should be alive and with his loved ones today. Instead, after days of fear and uncertainty, his family is now grieving an unimaginable loss. There must be a full and transparent investigation at the local, state, and federal levels. The public and Mr. Alam’s family deserve answers immediately."

Read the full article here