Worcester DA says his office will turn over investigation into death of police officer who died after incident at training academy – Boston News, Weather, Sports

WORCESTER, MASS. (WHDH) – Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early, Jr. announced Monday that his office is handing over the investigation into the death of Massachusetts State Police Trooper Enrique Delgado-Garcia.

“This office cannot possibly handle this,” Early said at a press conference late Monday morning. “Someone else will take on this matter.”

State police said Delgado-Garcia, 25, died Saturday after suffering a medical emergency Thursday during a self-defense exercise at the Massachusetts State Police Training Academy in New Braintree.

Delgado-Garcia was a recruit in the U.S. Army and was scheduled to graduate next month. After being taken to the hospital, he was given his oath of office and pinned his soldier’s badge in his final hours.

Delgado-Garcia previously served as a victim and witness advocate for the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office for about 18 months and was mourned by many of his former colleagues.

“This is a heartbreaking and tragic loss,” Early said, appearing to become emotional at times during his remarks.

Early, who was accompanied by Delgado-Garcia’s family, described Delgado-Garcia as a “unique personality” who “constantly worked to improve the lives of others.”

While Delgado-Garcia was working in his office, Early said, he would often leave the office around 6 p.m. and find Delgado-Garcia still on the phone with a victim or a victim’s relative.

Early would tell Delgado-Garcia to go home.

“He always said, ‘I still have some work to do here,'” Early said.

State police said the on-site medical team at the New Braintree Training Academy responded quickly to Delgado-Garcia’s medical emergency and determined he needed further treatment at a hospital.

While doctors rushed to treat Delgado-Garcia, Early said state police detectives assigned to his office also responded.

Although he said his office would turn over the investigation, Early said state police investigators would remain involved.

“We as a bureau are conflicted,” Early said. “But right now we can’t stop the investigation.”

Details of Delgado-Garcia’s death could not be immediately confirmed by official sources.

Early said experts completed their autopsy on Delgado-Garcia on Monday morning. However, an autopsy report had not yet been completed, meaning officials have not yet determined Delgado-Garcia’s cause and manner of death.

Because his office is currently overseeing the case, the Worcester District Attorney’s Office will decide who takes control next, Early said.

Early did not name any specific authorities to whom he might hand over the investigation. But he said he did not want to hand the case over to another prosecutor.

“I just know it’s going to be someone who has no interest in the outcome,” Early said.

Although he did not immediately know who would pursue the case to the end, he was confident that investigators would proceed professionally. Early also said he was determined to make the process “as transparent as possible.”

He said he expected to announce a decision on how the case would proceed by the end of the week.

When asked if he believed criminal activity had occurred at the New Braintree training academy, Early said he did not want to speculate on that.

This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on air and online for the latest updates.

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