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NEW YORK − A New York judge convicted a police sergeant of second-degree manslaughter for throwing a cooler at a man's headduring a fatal 2023 chase.

Bronx County Judge Guy Mitchell rendered his Feb. 6 verdict against New York City Police Sgt. Erik Duran, 38, for causing the death of 30-year-old Eric Duprey, according to New York Attorney GeneralLetitia James' office, which investigates police killings. Duprey, a delivery driver, had three children.

"I offer my sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Eric Duprey," James, whose office prosecuted the case in Bronx Criminal Court, said in a statement. "Though it cannot return Eric to his loved ones, today's decision gives justice to his memory."

James' office said the conviction carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Duran reportedly faced assault and criminally negligent homicide charges, but those were dropped in the bench trial. Duran opted for a decision by a judge instead of a Bronx jury, theNew York Post reported.

After the Feb. 6 felony conviction, the NYPD fired Duran in accordance with state law, the department said in an email. Duran, a member of an NYPD narcotics unit in the Bronx, had been suspended without pay.

Duran is the first NYPD officer in nearly a decade to be convicted for killing someone. In February 2016,Police Officer Peter Liang was convicted of second-degree manslaughterfor fatally shooting an unarmed man in a Brooklyn stairwell.

Lawyers for Duran didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Vincent Vallelong, president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association, an NYPD union, called the verdict a "miscarriage of justice," maintaining Duran's innocence.

"Our attorneys are reviewing all our legal options," Vallelong said in a statement. "We are confident Judge Mitchell's verdict will be overturned."

An attorney for Duprey's family didn't immediately respond to an email request for comment.

Security video released by James' officecaptured the Aug. 23, 2023, incident in the West Bronx. Footage showed Duprey attempting to flee on a motorized scooter in the Bronx before Duran, who was undercover, threw a cooler full of ice and drinks at Duprey's head. Video showed Duprey, who wasn't wearing a helmet, fall off the scooter. Duprey died minutes later.

Police said Duprey was trying to evade police on a friend's scooter after he was allegedly caught selling drugs in an undercover sting. TheNew York Times reported Dupreysold an undercover police detective $20 worth of cocaine before trying to flee on the scooter.

NYPD records show Duran first became a police officer in 2010. He rose to the rank of sergeant in 2018 and became a detective squad sergeant in 2022. Before Duprey's killing, theCivilian Complaint Review Board found Duranhad a substantiated report of abuse of authority during a January 2022 stop, about 2 miles away in the Bronx, city records show.

Duran's sentencing is scheduled for March 19, James' office said.

Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Reach him by email atemcuevas1@usatoday.comor on Signal at emcuevas.01.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:NYPD sergeant convicted of manslaughter in cooler-throwing death

As fans from around the countrydescend on Californiato watch the New England Patriots take on the Seattle Seahawks in Sunday'sSuper Bowl, officials are telling them to leave their drones at home.

The police chief in Santa Clara, where this year's big game will be played, said authorities are prepared to shoot down a drone, if necessary.

Unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly known as drones, can be easily purchased online and are increasingly popular with hobbyist drone pilots, including sports fans who want to film their favorite events.

But the risks posed by drones are real, whether a hobbyist drone malfunctions and falls into the stands or a bad actor uses a drone to drop something into the stadium.

Retired Army Col. Bill Edwards, who runs counter-drone training at Washington, D.C.-based tech company ENSCO, expects people will try to fly drones at the big game.

"We have to expect it at every major event that's happening in the country," Edwards said in an interview.

To get ahead of the issue, the Federal Aviation Administration has issued a ban on all drone flights over the Super Bowl, which has been classified by the federal government as a top special event that merits extensive interagency support.

The FAA says it is collaborating with the FBI to detect, track and assess unauthorized drone activity, and drone operators who fly them in restricted airspace without authorization face fines of up to $75,000, confiscation of their drone and federal criminal charges.

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Law enforcement agencies working on Super Bowl security use layers of responses and mitigation efforts for drones.

"Everything from ground intercept teams to contact the pilot on the ground to redirecting it, landing it or even shooting it down depending on the circumstances," Santa Clara Police Chief Cory Morgan said.

Technological advancements to drones made overseas during the Russia-Ukraine war and conflicts in the Middle East pose new challenges to law enforcement.

Edwards, who trains such police departments as the New York Police Department on drone threat mitigation, points to fiber-optic drones that can evade radio frequency detection systems as a particular concern.

"It's promulgating the technology's capability 20 years into the future — now," he said. He also said, "The threat level has increased a hundredfold."

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The first week of the partial reopening of the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt was marked by confusion, and logistical hurdles, according to Palestinians attempting to cross and multiple sources who spoke to CNN on condition of anonymity.

The disorder resulted in far fewer Palestinians traversing the border between Egypt and Gaza than was expected, nearly two years after Israel seized and shut the crossing.

When the partial reopening was announced last week, an Israeli security official told CNN that 150 Palestinians per day would be allowed to leave Gaza, while only 50 would be permitted to enter. But even that detail was unclear, as Egyptian state media reported that only 50 would be allowed to leave and the same number to enter.

In the end, the number of people who crossed during the first week amounted to only a fraction of those figures. On Monday, when the crossing officially reopened, only 12 Palestinians crossed the Rafah border in each direction. On Tuesday, the highest day for which CNN has obtained numbers, 40 crossed each way.

In those first two days, most of the Palestinians who were medically evacuated to Egypt during the war and were due to return to Gaza were barred from re-entering the territory, despite receiving prior approval from Israeli and Egyptian authorities.

It was not immediately clear why the numbers allowed through the crossing have changed each day.

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, 20,000 people in Gaza have completed medical referrals and are awaiting permission to travel abroad for treatment. Since the war began, about 1,000 Palestinians have died while waiting to be approved for medical evacuation, according to the ministry and the World Health Organization (WHO).

CNN has reached out to Israel's Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) for comment but has yet to receive a response.

The few who did manage to pass through from Egypt described an arduous and exhausting journey.

Harsh journey home

To return to Gaza via the Rafah crossing, Palestinians must undergo three security checks – first with Egyptian forces, then with the European Union Border Assistance Mission to Rafah (EUBAM) alongside Palestinian forces, and finally the Israeli military once inside Gaza.

Those who returned on Monday told CNN they reached the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing at 3 a.m. but did not make it into Gaza until 11:30 p.m. Some described difficulties, mistreatment, and increased scrutiny at both EUBAM and particularly Israeli checkpoints.

Um Omar, frustrated and in tears, said Israeli forces had handcuffed those crossing and questioned them at length.

"The Israelis made everything difficult today. They searched us and they interrogated us about everything – about migration (from Gaza), about Hamas, about the 7th of October, and every topic you can imagine," she said.

The Egyptians treated them well and tended to their needs, she said, while the Israelis prevented them from having anything on them, including food and drink.

"They made us get rid of all our belongings. They only allowed one bag of clothes per person. Even a little girl was not allowed to take her toy with her. They told her the toy is forbidden and took it from her," Um Omar said, shouting angrily.

Lamia Rubia, 27, said all of her belongings were searched, and many items were confiscated.

In a statement, the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR) reported similar accounts from Palestinians returning to Gaza, alleging "patterns of ill treatment and coercion."

"After two years of utter devastation, being able to return to their families and what remains of their homes in safety and dignity is the bare minimum," the statement said, quoting the head of OHCHR's Office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Ajith Sunghay.

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A diplomatic source told CNN that returning Palestinians could bring only one bag of belongings and face limitations on how much cash they can carry. But the exact restrictions are still unclear as different authorities try to streamline a system that has just begun working.

In response to a query from CNN, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) denied any mistreatment, saying in a statement that "no incidents of inappropriate conduct, mistreatment, apprehensions, or confiscation of property by the Israeli security establishment are known."

"Security authorities at the screening facility conduct a cross-check of the identities of incomers with lists approved by the Ministry of Defense. Additionally, they conduct a thorough screening of luggage, in accordance with the security policy that was coordinated in advance with Egypt and European Union Border Assistance Mission to Rafah (EUBAM), and in accordance with international law," the statement continued.

CNN has reached out to the EUBAM but has yet to receive a response.

A source at the European Union, however, told CNN the policy at the crossing is not decided by the EUBAM, but is rather based on the Agreed Principles for Rafah Crossing (APRC) and theAgreement on Movement and Access (AMA) – two documents signed in 2005 by Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

The list of authorized items is part of the AMA agreement, and anything not authorized gets confiscated before entering Gaza, the source added.

"The EUBAM is limited to monitoring and supporting Palestinian border officials. We don't know of any problems so far besides some minor logistics," the source said.

Tearful reunions

In southern Gaza, family members waited for hours to welcome the return of their loved ones.

Iman Rashwan, 30, had been waiting since 8 a.m. on Monday for her sister and mother to return from Egypt. They left in March 2025 after her brother was killed.

"He was my mother's only son. She had a heart condition, and her heart became very weak from the grief, so they had to medically evacuate her to Egypt," Rashwan said.

Despite the delay, joy erupted in hugs, smiles, and tears as the UN-marked bus carrying the returnees arrived, reuniting families who had been torn apart by the war.

"Open, open, open!" Rashwan shouted in glee, as she banged on the bus windows.

Her wheelchair-bound mother was the first to appear, and Rashwan immediately collapsed in her arms.

"My longing for Gaza was huge. I love Gaza and I do not want to leave my country… I didn't know I'd be gone for this long," Rashwan's mother said, her voice cracking with emotion.

"Today's trip was so difficult. Today was a taste from hell… the Egyptians treated us well, but the journey got difficult when we reached the Israelis," she added.

The hardships awaiting these Palestinians in a devastated homeland may outweigh the trials of their journey. As they arrived, however, they were simply grateful to be back in Gaza, with no wish to relive the journey they had just endured.

"I advise every Palestinian from Gaza not to leave their country and not to even think about leaving," Um Omar said.

As another woman emerged from the bus, she shouted: "Nobody leave Gaza! You are better off staying here and maintaining your dignity."

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CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) —Lindsey Vonnwrapped up her second straight successful downhill training run Saturday and appears ready to go for gold at theMilan Cortina Olympicsat the age of 41 on Sunday, little more than a week after rupturing the ACL of her left knee.

APTOPIX Milan Cortina Olympics Alpine Skiing

The Americancrossed in third position, 0.37 seconds behind leader and teammate Breezy Johnson, and pumped her fist after seeing the result.

"All good," Vonn told The Associated Press.

Aksel Lund Svindal, the 2018 Olympic downhill champion from Norway who now coaches Vonn, said she was "very calm" after her run "and didn't talk about the knee at all."

"And then I didn't want to ask, either, because I figured that's a good sign," Svindal said. "When she's calm means that she feels like she has it under control. She knows that she'll have to push harder tomorrow because the rest of the girls will and it's the Olympic downhill — you're not going to get away with a medal there unless you push hard. I think she's ready for that."

Still, Vonn has been favoring her right leg while landing jumps during training, which has put her off balance at times.

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"Try to have less of that tomorrow if we can," Svindal said. "It's the landings that hurt the most."

Vonn is competing with a large brace covering her injured knee. She had a partial titanium replacement inserted in her right knee in 2024 and then returned to ski racing last season after nearly six years of retirement.She crashed during the final World Cup downhill before the Olympics, raising the possibility that she would end not just her season but her career.

Instead, she has been steadfast in saying she would ski at the Olympics if at all possible and, after a training run was canceled Thursday, hit the Olympia delle Tofana downhill course on Friday and Saturday with the other racers.She placed 11th in Thursday's training,though the times mean little since the athletes do not always go their hardest.

Svindal noted that Vonn's brace negatively affects her aerodynamics, but added, "We're not focusing on that because if she starts to ask to take the brace away I think there's a couple of doctors that would have something to say about that. Please don't ask her that question."

Vonn holds the record of 12 World Cup wins in Cortina.

AP Olympics:https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

MILAN (AP) — Though U.S. Vice President JD Vance wasbooed by some spectatorsat the Winter Games opening ceremony, there was warmth with Olympic leaders at a key point in diplomatic relations ahead of the2028 Los Angeles Summer Games.

APTOPIX Milan Cortina Olympics Opening Ceremony

Vance and International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry had "a very good chemistry" in meetings over two days in Milan, the IOC said Saturday.

Hosting Vance at a formal dinner Thursday before the Milan Cortina Olympics opening Friday was Coventry's first direct contact with the United States government. The two-time swimming gold medalist andformer sports minister of Zimbabwe was electedas the IOC's first female leader in March.

Theanxiety of some IOC members, especially from Africa, over how welcome the world will be in the United States in 2½ years' time was made clear Tuesday to leaders of the LA organizing team.

"With the next games coming up in Los Angeles we are super happy, very happy that the U.S. administration is so engaged with the games here and going forward," IOC spokesman Mark Adams said Saturday at a news conference reflecting onthe opening ceremony.

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has a crucial role in planning for the next Summer Games with responsibility for federal security operations and processing visas for tens of thousands of athletes, officials and visitors from more than 200 national teams.

Pressed for details on discussions between Vance and Coventry, who sat together for the three-plus hour ceremony at San Siro stadium, Adams said: "I know it went incredibly well, there was a very good chemistry."

"She was very pleased about the enthusiasm of the vice president and the whole administration for the games, which obviously for us is an important thing," he said.

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Vance, who attended ice hockey and figure skating events in Milan, was clearly booed and whistled at in the soccer stadium when he and his wife, Usha, were displayed on screens as U.S. athletes joined the ceremony parade. The athletes had been cheered moments earlier.

"We are largely a sports organization and seeing the U.S. team cheered as they were by the audience," Adams said, "fair play, that was fantastic."

The Italian chief executive of the Winter Games organizing committee deflected a question about how his country currently views the U.S.

"I heard incredible cheering when the U.S. team entered the stadium," Andrea Varnier said. "Honestly, I didn't hear anything else. I just read (in) the papers afterwards."

Someprotests in Milan's streets flaredsince it was confirmed 10 days before the games opened that staff from ICE, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement department,are involved in American security planningfor the Olympics.

The investigations unit within ICE involved in the Olympics is separate from the enforcement unit at theforefront of the immigration crackdownin the U.S. including deaths of protesters in Minneapolis.

AP Winter Olympics:https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics