A far-left New York judge sentenced decorated NYPD Sgt. Erik Duran to 3-9 years for throwing a cooler at a fleeing gang member on a motorcycle, saving lives in a chaotic drug bust—prompting hockey fans to raise $85,000 overnight in a stunning show of blue-line defiance.
Story Highlights
- New York Islanders fans at UBS Arena rallied with jumbotron QR codes and a 50/50 raffle, raising nearly $45,000 for Duran’s appeal fund.
- Sgt. Duran, a father of three and highly decorated officer, received the harsh sentence on April 9, 2026, from Bronx Judge Guy Mitchell after a bench trial.
- The Sergeants Benevolent Association and National Police Defense Foundation launched the fund, which hit $40,000 before the game boost.
- Duran’s actions during an August 2023 Bronx drug bust stopped suspect Eric Duprey, a Trinitarios gang member speeding toward officers and bystanders.
- Pro-police groups call the prosecution by NY AG Letitia James and sentencing a miscarriage of justice that endangers officers nationwide.
The Incident That Sparked Outrage
In August 2023, Sgt. Erik Duran supervised a routine NYPD buy-and-bust drug operation in a high-crime Bronx neighborhood plagued by Trinitarios gang activity. Suspect Eric Duprey, arrested but fleeing, sped unhelmeted on a motorcycle along a crowded sidewalk toward officers, a handcuffed prisoner, and bystanders. Duran grabbed a cooler from a nearby family’s public table and hurled it, knocking Duprey off the bike and preventing potential deaths. Duprey later died from injuries, leading to charges under New York Penal Law for second-degree manslaughter.
New York Hockey Fans Rally to Help NYPD Sergeant Who Received Outrageous Sentence from Far-Left Judge https://t.co/sjSarWBEbi #gatewaypundit via @gatewaypundit
— jim williamson (@WilliamsL1967) April 15, 2026
Prosecution and Controversial Sentencing
Prosecutors under NY AG Letitia James charged Duran in January 2024 amid heightened post-2020 scrutiny of police use-of-force. A bench trial in February 2026 resulted in conviction. On April 9, 2026, Bronx Supreme Court Judge Guy Mitchell sentenced Duran to 3-9 years and remanded him to custody immediately, despite his decorated service record and role as a father of three. Critics from pro-police organizations label the ruling a miscarriage, arguing it ignores the imminent threat and reasonable force justified under New York law.
The National Police Defense Foundation asserts Duran’s split-second decision saved lives, with no intent to kill. They decry the prosecution as overreach that prioritizes suspects over officer safety in dangerous urban pursuits. This case echoes longstanding tensions between aggressive policing and accountability demands in Democrat-led New York.
Community Backlash and Fundraising Surge
On April 14, 2026, during the New York Islanders game against the Carolina Hurricanes at UBS Arena on Long Island, fans showed unyielding support for Duran. The jumbotron displayed a QR code linked to the legal defense fund run by the Sergeants Benevolent Association and NPDF. Proceeds from a 50/50 raffle added nearly $45,000, pushing the total past $85,000 by April 15. This grassroots effort highlights “back the blue” solidarity amid perceptions of a war on cops.
Well done. The Sergeant did nothing wrong. He stopped a fleeing criminal.
New York Hockey Fans Rally to Help NYPD Sergeant Who Received Outrageous Sentence from Far-Left Judge https://t.co/N20xF5lvpE #gatewaypundit via @gatewaypundit
— Lonestarmango (@lonestarmango) April 15, 2026
Duran remains imprisoned without bail as his appeal progresses. Police unions and supporters view the rapid fundraising as a power shift from state prosecutors to everyday Americans frustrated with elite-driven justice that sidelines law enforcement. Both conservatives decrying anti-police bias and some liberals wary of government overreach see this as symptomatic of a broken system favoring reelection over public safety.
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NYPD sergeant facing manslaughter sentence for hurling cooler at suspect
