BOSTON — What exactly happened and why? Those questions still haunt the family of the Massachusetts State Police Academy recruit who died after a training exercise in September.
Now 25 Investigates with speaking with Enrique Delgado Garcia’s stepfather about the ongoing investigation into his death and how it sparked changes at the academy.
“It’s been more than 8 months now and we still don’t really know what happened,” Jose Ramon Perez-Garcia said in an interview with Boston 25’s Kerry Kavanaugh, translated from Spanish.
He says it’s been a difficult wait for his family as the investigation into the death of his stepson continues.
Delgado Garcia was 25 years old when he died after a boxing training exercise at the state police academy last September.
Sources familiar with the investigation told 25 Investigates that he suffered broken bones, damaged or missing teeth, and a spinal injury.
Sources say he was in the ring with someone else when he stumbled onto the mat but stood back up the fight was allowed to continue. He then collapsed following a blow to the head.
Perez-Garcia said Delgado Garcia was someone who loved helping people. He loved being active and was frequently working out or running. He was at the academy with a long-term dream of becoming an attorney who could defend people’s rights.
“A young man, just 25 years old, they shattered his dream,” Perez-Garcia said.
The Massachusetts Attorney General, Andrea Campbell, appointed an independent investigator to examine the circumstances around how he died.
On Wednesday, we learned the investigation is ongoing, and they could not provide further comment.
Just this month, the Massachusetts State Police announced major academy reforms, including dividing the upcoming class into two smaller cohorts, appointing new academy leadership, and completing hour-by-hour review of the training curriculum a review of recruits’ academy experience. Boxing remains a suspended activity.
25 Investigates also wanted to learn more about the recruits’ experiences and culture at the MSP academy. Last October, we asked to review the exit interviews of people who quit the academy. The state asked for more than $176,000 fee to review the public records request. Boston 25 News did not pay that fee. MSP later stated the records were exempt from public records law.
Kavanaugh asked Pérez-García if the changes at the academy are enough.
He told Kavanaugh that “the academy needs to change many of the ways it trains a person to be a cadet who’s going to serve humanity or who’s going to serve their community.”
He added that the family does appreciate the steps taken so far.
Pérez García said, “It’s all a process and you have to wait, because sometimes things happen very quickly, maybe they don’t have a positive result. Let’s hope there continues to be change.”
Sadly, the family didn’t realize the impact Delgado Garcia had on so many in the community until his funeral. They say people told family members they knew him from volunteering with kids or preparing meals, and helping people who speak Spanish navigate the district attorney’s office in Worcester, where he worked.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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