Investigation Opened Into Death Of MA Police Recruit During Training

WORCESTER, MA — Authorities are seeking answers after a Massachusetts State Police recruit suffered a "medical crisis" and died during a defensive tactics training exercise in New Braintree Thursday, reports and officials said.

Worcester's Enrique Delgado-Garcia, 25, died one day after the training session during which he was hit and injured and became unresponsive, his mother told reporters with NBC10 Boston and Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra, according to The Associated Press.

Department spokesperson Tim McGuirk did not say what specific training activities Delgado-Garcia was participating in before experiencing the crisis, The AP reported.

"Trooper Delgado-Garcia served with the Massachusetts State Police for one day," according to a tribute on the Officer Down Memorial Page. "He was a member of the 90th Recruit Training Troop. He is survived by his mother and father."

Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. said in a news conference Monday that Delgado-Garcia was also a "dedicated victim witness advocate" with his office for a year and a half before leaving for the Massachusetts State Police Academy in April. He was set to graduate in October.

"Enrique constantly worked to make life better for others," Early said, in part. "He was one of the first ones to help."

Massachusetts' governor Maura Healey issued a statement Saturday saying that she is "heartbroken" and that she and her office are "holding Enrique's family and his State Police community in [their] hearts."

Delgado-Garcia "had committed himself to a career protecting the people of Massachusetts," Healey said.

She continued: "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."

The Worcester County District Attorney's Office has been assigned to investigate Delgado-Garcia's death, but the investigation will be handed off because the office cannot be impartial due to its connection with Delgado-Garcia, according to Early.

Early said he spoke with "four different entities in the state" Friday about taking over the investigation but that his office will continue to investigate until the reassignment is made.