BOSTON (AP) — A supervisor and three trainers with the Massachusetts State Police tactical unit have been charged in connection with the death of a recruit after a boxing match during training, the official leading an independent investigation into the case said Monday.
Enrique Delgado-Garcia, 25, died at the hospital on Sept. 13, 2024, a day after becoming unresponsive during a defensive tactics exercise in the boxing ring and suffering a “medical crisis,” officials said at the time.
David Meyer, appointed by Massachusetts Attorney General to investigate the death, said supervisors and instructors of the Massachusetts State Police Academy’s Defensive Tactics Unit, who were participating in a training program, were charged with involuntary manslaughter and causing serious bodily injury. The supervisor has also been charged with perjury in connection with his grand jury testimony.
“Each of these people owed a duty of care to Enrique Delgado-Garcia,” Mir told reporters. “Each of them committed a series of unethical and reckless acts and omissions that resulted in the death of Enrique Delgado-Garcia.”
The mayor said Delgado-Garcia had previously been “unauthorized, unsanctioned and unsecured” during the debate sessions. A day after academy staff failed to stop a training boxing match, Delgado-Garcia sustained “multiple blunt force injuries to the head and massive bleeding on the brain.”
The supervisor in charge, Sgt. Jennifer Penton, with Troopers Edwin Rodriguez, David Montanez and Casey LaMonte. They will not be arrested, and their arraignment date will be set in the future, the mayor said.
A lawyer for Penton declined to comment. Attorneys for Rodriguez and Monteza could not be reached for comment while it was unclear whether LaMonte has an attorney. The phone numbers of none of the four were found.
Brian Williams, president of the Massachusetts State Police Association, said, “The veteran training officers charged today deserve the same notions of innocence and due process guaranteed to every citizen.”
“The union stands firmly behind its members and intends to vigorously defend them against these allegations as we continue to work with the department to strengthen and enhance training standards,” Williams said in a statement.
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell told reporters that it was more important than ever to have an independent, impartial investigation into Delgado-Garcia’s death. The investigation has prompted calls from several advocacy groups and Delgado-Garcia’s family and friends to hold those responsible for her death accountable.
“The family is relieved that the case has progressed since the beginning,” said Mike Wilcox, the family’s attorney. “Today is a big day. The family is relieved to see light at the end of the tunnel in terms of accountability here.”
Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, executive director of Lawyers for Civil Rights, said he was “excited to see the state police be held accountable for the tragic loss of life.”
“Regardless of their background, all cadets at the police academy must be safe and secure,” he said. “Creating a safe environment is critical to ensuring our public institutions reflect the communities they serve. The grieving Delgado-Garcia family deserves justice, and this tragedy must lead to meaningful reforms.”
Last year, an AP investigation found that at least 29 recruits had died during basic training at law enforcement academies across the country over the past decade. Most died of labor, dehydration, heat stroke and other conditions tied to intense exercise – often on the first day of training. Others died over several weeks, sometimes after suffering trauma from collapsing during boxing or strength training or during high-stakes timed races on hot days.
