Surveillance Footage Shows Refugee’s Final Moments Before Death in Buffalo

Newly released surveillance video captures the last known movements of a nearly blind Myanmar refugee who died five days after Border Patrol agents released him at a closed donut shop in Buffalo. The 56-year-old man was found dead outside a downtown arena, raising concerns about federal custody release procedures.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Surveillance footage has captured the final known movements of a visually impaired refugee from Myanmar who died just five days after federal agents released him at a Buffalo donut shop in the middle of the night.

The video, obtained by the Investigative Post, shows 56-year-old Nurul Amin Shah Alam carefully navigating an empty parking lot in jail-issued footwear after Border Patrol officers left him at a Tim Hortons on February 19. The footage reveals him pulling his hood up against the cold weather as he walks past the drive-through window before disappearing into the darkness.

Shah Alam’s body was discovered on Tuesday morning outside the downtown arena where the Buffalo Sabres play hockey. A passerby called 911 after finding him on the sidewalk. Authorities are still investigating how he traveled several miles from the restaurant to the location where he died.

Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan confirmed the Tim Hortons was closed when agents dropped off Shah Alam. The surveillance footage shows him trying the locked front entrance before the Border Patrol vehicle drives away.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection defended their actions this week, stating agents selected “a warm, safe location” for the release.

The agency described the transportation as “a courtesy ride” to an area near where Shah Alam’s relatives had previously resided. Officials said he agreed to the ride and displayed no signs of distress or physical limitations. CBP has not responded to recent requests for additional comment.

The Erie County medical examiner is working to determine the cause of death, while Buffalo police continue reviewing security cameras across the city to trace Shah Alam’s movements during his final days.

Shah Alam had spent a full year in the Erie County jail following a 2024 incident that led to his arrest. Body camera footage released Thursday shows police confronting him in a snowy backyard where he was holding what appeared to be curtain rods.

In the video, officers repeatedly yell “What are you doing?” and “Put it down” as Shah Alam approaches them. Family advocates say he had wandered onto the wrong property and couldn’t understand the English commands.

The footage shows an officer threatening “I’m going to shoot you, dude” before deploying Tasers and wrestling Shah Alam to the ground. Police report that he bit two officers during the arrest.

Shah Alam initially faced serious charges including felony assault, burglary, and criminal mischief. An immigration hold was placed on him following the arrest.

The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo made “a strategic decision” to keep him in jail rather than post bail, fearing immigration officials would immediately detain him. However, lawyers told his family it was safe to post bond after he accepted a plea deal on February 9 for two reduced misdemeanor charges.

He was released from the Erie County Holding Center on February 19 after posting bail. The sheriff’s department notified Border Patrol of his upcoming release due to the immigration detainer, and agents were waiting when he was freed.

That same evening, he was transported to the Tim Hortons where the surveillance video begins.