State and local leaders and community members are demanding answers after a blind, disabled Burmese refugee recently released from Border Patrol custody was found dead in downtown Buffalo days after he was reported missing by his family.

Nurul Amin Shah Alam was arrested one year ago for allegedly assaulting two Buffalo Police officers. He was initially indicted on charges of assault, burglary and criminal mischief, according to Erie County District Attorney Mike Keane. Prosecutors said he had two metal poles when he approached the officers. He plead guilty earlier this month to criminal possession of a weapon and criminal trespassing.

Last week, Shah Alam was released from sheriff’s custody on bond and was then picked up Border Patrol agents at the county holding center. Immigration officials found Alam was not “amenable to removal” and released him, dropping him off at a Tim Hortons parking lot with no shoes.

Border Patrol officials say they offered the 56-year-old a “courtesy ride” to the coffee shop, which was his choice, noting it was a warm and safe location near his known address.

Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan says that Tim Horton’s location was closed at the time Alam was dropped off.

Shah Alam was found dead a six and half mile drive away from that coffee shop this past Tuesday. During the days Shah Alam was missing, temperatures in Buffalo fell below freezing and light snow fell.

The medical examiner has not yet released the cause of death. However, Ryan did walk back assertions from local police that the refugee died from natural causes.

Ryan said Shah Alam was denied his civil rights.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection defended its actions in a statement, saying Shah Alam asked to be dropped off in that parking lot.

“Border Patrol agents offered him a courtesy ride, which he chose to accept to a coffee shop, determined to be a warm, safe location near his last known address, rather than be released directly from the Border Patrol station,” according to the statement. “He showed no signs of distress, mobility issues, or disabilities requiring special assistance.”

"If they had taken him back to the holding center, the desk sergeant could have reviewed his visitor log and shown that his son was a regular visitor, his lawyer was an active visitor and they could have shown his immigration lawyer was an active visitor," Ryan said. "There would have been ways to contact the family so you didn't leave somebody out in the cold."

Shah Alam arrived in the United States with his wife and two of his children in December 2024 in search of opportunity for his family, said Imran Fazal, who knows the family and founded a group called the Rohingya Empowerment Community. He had worked in construction for many years previously in Malaysia.

Fazal said the arrest was a misunderstanding based on the language barrier and cultural differences, and that Shah Alam had been taking shelter from the snow near a house at the time. He also said Shah Alam cannot walk properly without a cane. Shah Alam ultimately pleaded guilty Feb. 9 to misdemeanor charges of trespassing and possession of a weapon and was scheduled to be sentenced in March.

Keane, the district attorney, said he had offered Fazal a reduced plea "in the interest of justice.” One factor in the decision was avoiding the mandatory deportation that would result from a felony conviction, he said.

Fazal said the family was able to post bail and went to the county jail on Thursday expecting Shah Alam to be released.

“The family was waiting in the waiting room,” Fazal said. “They were thinking he was just coming out.”

But since federal Border Patrol had lodged an immigration detainer after his arrest, the Erie County Sheriff’s Office followed standard practice and informed the federal agency about his pending release. The Border Patrol arrived at the jail before the release was finalized, according to a statement from the sheriff’s office.

Shah Alam's family searched for him after his attorney was notified about the Thursday night drop-off at a Tim Hortons, but could not locate him, said Fazal.

“He should not be dropped off in a location where he doesn’t know anybody,” Fazal said. “He doesn’t speak English.”

Fazal called it "a complete failure of the system.”

Activists gathered in the city after Shah Alam was laid to rest Thursday afternoon.

"There is nothing that can happen that can fully heal the wound that the family and that our community is facing today," said Alexandre Burgos of the Western New York Hate and Bias Prevention Regional Council. "But the one thing that we must demand is justice."

Rep. Tim Kennedy is calling for a full investigation.

“The death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam is a horrific and heartbreaking tragedy," Kennedy said in a statement. "Mr. Alam should be alive and with his loved ones today. Instead, after days of fear and uncertainty, his family is now grieving an unimaginable loss. There must be a full and transparent investigation at the local, state, and federal levels. The public and Mr. Alam’s family deserve answers immediately.”

Gov. Kathy Hochul also believes there should be a full investigation.

“A rogue deportation agenda is operating with zero transparency and even less accountability," Hochul said. "Yesterday, a blind father was released from federal custody and left alone on the street to find his way home. He never made it back to his family. This morning, ICE agents misled campus security and took a young woman from her college dorm without a judicial warrant. No one should disappear at the hands of the government. No student should be taken from their dorm through deception. These incidents demand an independent investigation and real accountability. New York will not look the other way. If Washington won’t restore order and take action, New York will. We must act now and pass my comprehensive immigration legislation to keep New Yorkers safe.”

State Attorney General Letitia James said her office is reviewing its legal options.

“Nurul Amin Shah Alam fled genocide and came to this country in search of safety and opportunity. Instead, his life was tragically cut short. No one who comes here seeking refuge should be left in harm’s way," James said. "My office is reviewing our legal options. My thoughts are with Mr. Shah Alam's family and loved ones as they mourn this devastating loss.”

Thursday evening, the Buffalo Police Department released a timeline of the incident. The report can be viewed below or on the city's website.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.