The Massachusetts State Police has suspended full-contact boxing training activities among recruits after one died, a state police spokesperson said.
Enrique Delgado-Garcia, 25, of Worcester, was pronounced dead at a hospital Sept. 13, a day after he participated in an exercise in the boxing ring at the Massachusetts State Police Academy in New Braintree, in Worcester County, about 80 miles west of Boston.
Tim McGuirk, a state police department spokesperson, said in a statement Monday that the full-contact boxing training activities between trainees has been suspended until further notice.
On the day of the exercise, Col. John Mawn Jr., the interim head of the state police, requested a full investigation by the State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office, McGuirk said. Mawn also directed the state police’s Division of Standards and Training “to comprehensively review the Academy’s defensive tactics program,” McGuirk said.
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“That review remains ongoing and will ensure that the program delivers relevant skills safely and effectively to those preparing to become Troopers,” he said.
The review is assessing safety protocols, training methods and curriculum, as well as alignment with law enforcement objectives, medical and health considerations, and alternative approaches. It is soliciting feedback from recruits and instructors and information from peer organizations and subject matter experts, McGuirk said.
A cause or manner of death has not been released. Elaine Driscoll, a spokesperson for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, said Monday that the physical examination had been completed; “however, additional testing continues to assist with the determination of cause and manner of death.”
Worcester District Attorney Joseph Early Jr., whose office Delgado-Garcia had worked in as a witness victim advocate for about a year and a half before he left to fulfill his lifelong dream of joining the state police, described his death as a heartbreaking and tragic loss at a news conference last week, where he was joined by members of Delgado-Garcia’s family and former co-workers.
Enrique Delgado-Garcia.via NECN
Early said Delgado-Garcia was loved by everyone in his office. Because of their close relationship, Early has recused himself from investigating Delgado-Garcia’s death.
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“There’s no way this office can handle this,” he said. “Everyone loved Enrique.”
He added: “I’m looking for someone who can look at this with an independent view who doesn’t have a stake in its outcome.”
He said he has been in conversations with four possible entities to take over the case, but did not name them. In a statement Monday, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell said she has appointed David Meier, an attorney, to lead the investigation. She said Meier had “deep experience in death investigations and will ensure independence and integrity in this matter.”
Early said state police detectives assigned to his office would continue to investigate Delgado-Garcia’s death and work with whomever takes over the investigation.
Asked what specifics he could provide about what happened to Delgado-Garcia, including whether he could address concerns that he had been beaten to death and that his teeth had been knocked out, Early said that what had occurred in the boxing ring was videotaped.
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Family members of Enrique Delgado-Garcia attend a news conference by District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr.Allan Jung / Worcester Telegram & Gazette / USA Today Network
He added that it was “too early in the investigation” for him to speculate whether anything criminal had led to Delgado-Garcia’s death.
McGuirk said the state police is fully cooperating with investigatory authorities and urges the district attorney’s office to name an independent investigator as soon as possible.
Specifics of the boxing training exercise Delgado-Garcia participated in have not been disclosed.
The Massachusetts State Police has come under scrutiny over its investigations into other cases involving state troopers, including that of Karen Read, who was accused of intentionally backing her vehicle into her boyfriend, a Boston police officer. A judge declared a mistrial in her case in July.
Early said that he had begged Delgado-Garcia to stay in his office before he left to pursue a career as a state trooper and that they had discussed his returning to the district attorney’s office to be a detective after he became a state police trooper.
In the final hours of his life, Delgado-Garcia was sworn in as a trooper in the presence of his classmates, members of the department and his loved ones, McGuirk said.
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Reached by phone Monday, a relative of Delgado-Garcia’s said the family was waiting to comment, citing the ongoing investigation.
Jessie Rossman, legal director at the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, has called for a federal investigation.
Delgado-Garcia was born in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, and came to Worcester as a young boy, according to his obituary. He earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Westfield State University in Massachusetts.
“Enrique was an exceptional young man who devoted himself to the service of others,” the obituary said. “He had always dreamed of becoming a State Trooper and to be someone big who made a difference in the lives of the people in his community.”
Seatbelt usage in Massachusetts increased in 2025 for the third consecutive year, “marking the state’s highest seat belt usage rate on record,” officials said in a release this week.
The annual Massachusetts Safety Belt Observational Study found belt usage rate of 85.53 percent among the state’s drivers last year, up from 84.36 percent in 2024 and 80 percent in 2023, according to the Healey-Driscoll administration.
The increase in seatbelt usage last year corresponded with a lower rate of fatal crashes, with 342 reported in the state in 2025 compared to 364 in 2024, said a statement from the state Executive Office of Public Safety and Security on Monday.
“We know that seat belts save lives, and it’s so important that seat belt usage continues to increase every year in Massachusetts,” said Governor Maura Healey, a Democrat, in the statement. “We’re grateful for the hard work of our partners in transportation, public safety and local governments to enhance safety on the roads for us all.”
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The governor’s words were echoed in the statement by her number two, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll.
“Whether you’re a driver or passenger, one of the most important things you can do to protect your safety is to buckle your seat belt,” Driscoll said. “This study shows that we’ve made progress in increasing the safety of road users.”
The annual study is required by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, according to the statement, which said seat belt usage in Massachusetts has increased by more than 10 percent since 2015.
“Everyone has a role to play in keeping our roads safe, and wearing a seat belt is one of the simplest steps we can take to protect ourselves and the people we care about,” said Gina K. Kwon, the state’s public safety and security boss, in the release.
“When drivers and passengers buckle up every time, they help prevent serious injuries and make travel safer for families and communities across the Commonwealth,” Kwon said.
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Travis Andersen can be reached at travis.andersen@globe.com.
The long-awaited hydropower line delivering electricity from Québec to New England is expected to be running in January after years of hurdles and delays, the company Hydro Québec stated.
“We have been actively testing the line and the transformers for the past several weeks and are making good progress,” a spokesperson for Hydro Québec said, adding the teams were actively working on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border and “expect to be ready begin energy deliveries in January.”
The New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) transmission line, initiated nearly in 2017 under the Baker administration and under construction since 2021, is set to deliver 1,200 megawatts of hydropower from Québec to New England over 20 years, becoming one of the largest sources of baseload power in the region.
Avangrid, the company behind the NECEC, announced in November it had secured the final permit to get the power line running after years of regulatory and legal hurdles. The company estimated the line would be running by the end of 2025 at the time.
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The project to bring Canadian hydropower to the New England power grid, estimated to cost about $1 billion, is expected to provide Massachusetts with approximately 20% of it overall electricity.
The clean energy line will deliver about $3 billion in net benefits to Massachusetts residents paying for electricity, including “reducing in ratepayer bills by around $50 million each year,” state officials said.
“This transmission line will deliver affordable, stable power from our partners in Canada to our residents and businesses,” Gov. Maura Healey said in November. “More energy means lower costs. The NECEC line is a key part of our all-of-the-above approach to lowering energy costs and delivering the power our economy needs.”
On average, officials estimated, residents can expect to save $18 to $20 a year over the contract term.
Avangrid said the project will cut carbon emissions by 3.6 million metric tons a year, “the equivalent of removing 700,000 cars from the road.” The hydropower source is expected to be “key to energy reliability in the winter” as demand grows, state officials said, and evening energy prices effected by the volatility of natural gas.
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The line cleared a closing legal hurdle in January 2025 when the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities agreed to a settlement with electric utility companies, the AG’s office, energy department and Central Maine Power approving project costs.
The clean energy project updates come weeks after the Trump administration dealt a blow to wind power projects across the U.S., including the Vineyard Wind farm off the coast of Nantucket delivering energy in New England.
New England Sports Network (NESN) on Monday announced that Boston Red Sox broadcast leaders Tom Caron and Dave O’Brien have been named 2025 Massachusetts Co-Sportscasters of the Year by the National Sports Media Association (NSMA).
Caron and O’Brien serve as the cornerstone voices of NESN’s Red Sox coverage, leading the network’s studio and game productions, respectively. Together, they anchor NESN’s comprehensive Red Sox broadcasts, delivering in-depth analysis, trusted storytelling and championship-caliber coverage to fans across New England.
“Tom and Dave represent the gold standard of sports broadcasting,” said David Wisnia, President & CEO of NESN. “Their credibility, storytelling, and deep connection to Red Sox fans elevate every broadcast. This recognition by NSMA is a well-deserved honor and a reflection of their impact on New England sports media.”
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This recognition continues NESN’s tradition of broadcast excellence, following Jack Edwards’ selection as the 2024 NSMA Massachusetts Sportscaster of the Year for his work as the play-by-play voice of the Boston Bruins.
Tom Caron joined NESN in 1995, recently celebrating 30 years with the network. For the past 24 seasons, he has been a central figure in NESN’s Red Sox coverage, serving as the network’s first baseball sideline reporter before becoming host of the Red Sox pregame and postgame shows during the club’s historic 2004 championship season. In addition to leading NESN’s Red Sox studio programming and hosting the “310 To Left” VODcast, Caron has served as studio host for Boston Bruins hockey and as play-by-play announcer for premier New England college hockey events, including the Beanpot Tournament and Hockey East Championship. A nine-time New England Emmy Award winner, Caron was inducted into the Maine Sports Hall of Fame in 2021 and is deeply involved in numerous charitable organizations throughout the region, including serving as Co-Chair of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s Jimmy Fund.
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Dave O’Brien has served as NESN’s primary play-by-play voice of the Red Sox since 2016, following nine years with the Red Sox Radio Network. In addition to leading NESN’s game broadcasts, O’Brien is also the lead play-by-play announcer for college football and basketball on ESPN’s ACC Network. His career includes Major League Baseball postseason broadcasts, international World Series coverage, and play-by-play roles with the Florida Marlins, New York Mets, and Atlanta Braves. A Boston native, O’Brien is a recipient of multiple national and regional broadcasting honors and is widely respected as one of the sport’s premier voices.
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The National Sports Media Association annually recognizes excellence in sports media across the country, honoring broadcasters who demonstrate outstanding professionalism, longevity, and impact in their markets.
About NESN NESN is consistently one of the top-rated regional sports networks in the country with award-winning Red Sox and Bruins coverage, and recently named RSN of the Year by Cynopsis. NESN and NESN+ are delivered throughout the six-state New England region and are available anytime, anywhere, on any device on the NESN 360 app via direct subscription or TV authentication. The network is also distributed nationally as NESN National. NESN’s free ad-supported streaming (FAST) channel, NESN NATION, offers 35+ hours of weekly live and original programming, including exclusive sports content, interviews, and behind-the-scenes features, available on Samsung TV Plus, Prime Video, Roku, LG, Twitch, Plex, and TCLtv+. NESN.com is one of the country’s most visited sports websites with dedicated digital video production and always-on news coverage. NESN’s social responsibility program, NESN Connects, is proud to support and connect its employees with charitable organizations in the Greater Boston community. NESN also manages SportsNet Pittsburgh, home of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Pittsburgh Pirates for all regionally televised games in and around Pittsburgh, as well as other local sports content. NESN is owned by Fenway Sports Group (owners of the Boston Red Sox) and Delaware North (owners of the Boston Bruins).
