Massachusetts State Police Graduation Ceremony Overshadowed by Recruit’s Death

Calling for clarity and chanting for justice, several dozen people gathered outside a graduation ceremony for Massachusetts State Police cadets demanding an explanation of how one of the recruits died during a training exercise.

By Daniel Cordova Rubio

The Massachusetts State Police graduated a new class of troopers Wednesday, but the celebration, at the DCU Center, in Worcester, was shrouded by the death of a recruit. Enrique Delgado-Garcia, 25, of Worcester, died September 13, a day after he was hospitalized with injuries suffered from a boxing training exercise. 

Police have said that Delgado-Garcia “became unresponsive” during the training exercise at the academy in New Braintree. His family said he was missing teeth, had suffered a broken neck, and a brain injury, and his body was covered with bruises. Massachusetts State Police has suspended full-contact boxing training activities among recruits in the wake of events.

His death has churned the state’s law enforcement community, and his family has demanded to know how he could have died as well as accountability for the investigation.

Luis Canario, a cousin who was holding a poster honoring Delgado-Garcia, among many, asked for the ceremony to be postponed: “It’s not fair that, with an open investigation going on, they are still graduating people but one of their own that they call their brother is not here.” 

Delgado-Garcia was sworn in as a trooper before his death and was honored throughout the event, a moment of silence was held on his behalf.

Attorney General Andrea Campbell appointed an investigator to examine his death. Campbell issued a statement Wednesday night reiterating that the investigation is ongoing.