State police recruit who died during training to be honored at wake

WORCESTER – A wake will be held on Friday for Enrique Delgado-Garcia, the Massachusetts State Police recruit who died in a boxing ring after being hurt during a training exercise.

Calling hours for Delgado-Garcia will take place from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Mercadante Funeral Home in Worcester. A funeral will take place on Saturday.

Delgado-Garcia was sworn in as a trooper in the hours before his death and will receive full state police honors. He was 25 years old.

Enrique Delgado-Garcia death

On September 12, Delgado-Garcia was training in a boxing ring at a State Police academy in New Braintree.

He was hit in the head and knocked out for several minutes, sources told the WBZ-TV I-Team.

The 25-year-old was rushed to the hospital, but later died.

Investigation into police recruit's death

Attorney General Andrea Campbell announced earlier this week that attorney David Meier will lead an independent probe into Delgado-Garcia's death.

"Trooper Delgado-Garcia lost his life while training to protect and serve the Commonwealth, and I want to thank his family and the public for their patience as we sought to identify the most appropriate authority to investigate the facts surrounding his tragic death," Campbell said in a statement announcing the Meier's appointment.

Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early Jr.'s office had jurisdiction over the case, but asked for an outside investigator because Delgado-Garcia worked in his office as a victim witness advocate.

In the aftermath of Delgado-Garcia's death, State Police suspended full-contact boxing.