A former New York City police sergeant, Erik Duran, was sentenced Thursday for tossing a picnic cooler at a fleeing suspect, Eric Duprey, who crashed his motorized scooter and died. Duran was convicted of manslaughter in the 2023 incident and faces up to 15 years in prison.
The case has drawn starkly divided reactions. Duran's union, the Sergeants Benevolent Association, has gathered thousands of signatures on a petition calling for leniency, while activists have demanded the maximum sentence. The incident occurred during a narcotics operation in the Bronx on August 23, 2023, when Duprey allegedly sold drugs to an undercover officer before attempting to flee.
Surveillance footage shows Duprey driving the scooter toward a group of people. Duran, who was not in uniform, threw a bystander's cooler filled with ice, water, and sodas. The container struck Duprey, causing him to lose control, crash into a tree, and sustain fatal head injuries. Prosecutors argued Duran acted out of anger rather than necessity, while Duran testified he was trying to protect officers from the approaching scooter.
The sentencing comes amid ongoing debate over police accountability and use of force. Duran's defense emphasized his split-second decision-making, while prosecutors highlighted his failure to warn others before throwing the cooler.