Massachusetts police recruit dies after training exercise left him with 'fractured neck and destroyed brain'

A Massachusetts State Police recruit succumbed to a medical crisis and passed away following a defensive tactics training exercise.

Enrique Delgado-Garcia, 25, died in the hospital on Friday after becoming unresponsive during the training at the Massachusetts State Police Academy in New Braintree, as confirmed by department spokesperson Tim McGuirk. The incident occurred approximately 80 miles northeast of Boston.

McGuirk detailed that the academy's medical team provided immediate assistance when Delgado-Garcia showed signs of distress, rushing him to the hospital where he later died. Delgado-Garcia's mother, Sandra Garcia, expressed her anguish and confusion to NBC10 Boston and Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra, questioning the intensity of the training that led to her son's severe injuries.

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"I don't understand why it was so rough if it was just training," she lamented in Spanish. "I want them to explain it to me, that the state explains to me what happened with my son...Why did he hit him so hard that it killed him, that it destroyed his brain and broke all of my son's teeth and he had a neck fracture too, my son."

Police training exercises typically involve preparing for various physical confrontations, including defense against tackles and punches. However, McGuirk's statement did not clarify the specific nature of the exercise Delgado-Garcia participated in, nor did he respond to additional inquiries regarding the potential injuries sustained by Delgado-Garcia.

"The matter is under review and the review has been active and ongoing since we were notified of the incident on Thursday," stated Lindsay Corcoran, a spokesperson for the Worcester County District Attorney's office, in a statement released on Saturday. Delgado-Garcia had previously worked as a victim witness advocate in that office.

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Col. John Mawn Jr., from the state police, expressed in a statement that his department "is committed to providing support and resources to Trainee Delgado-Garcia's family, friends, and fellow academy recruits in the coming days and weeks as they cope with this unimaginable loss." Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey shared a statement expressing her heartbreak over the loss of Delgado-Garcia.

"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," she said.