Letters

New York State continues to grieve the horrific murder of Sam Nordquist. As the coverage of the incident continues, more devastating information is coming to light.

It has been revealed that Sam went to local social services to inform them of the danger he was facing, increasingly becoming less able to inform others of the abuse he was facing. As reported by NBC News, Sam’s mother and loved ones contacted the police twice to do wellness checks on Sam. Canandaigua Police Department’s chief of police, Mathew Nielsen, said that Sam’s family must be “confused” as to which law enforcement agency they contacted, as his department did not receive any calls from them. Sam’s mother showed NBC News her phone’s call log, showing that the calls were made, and that they matched that department’s phone number.

Additionally, when Sam’s mother tried to file a missing persons report with the New York State Police Troop E, they allegedly dismissed her concerns by replying that she “needs to stop watching so much TV … [this is] not a true crime episode.”

The New York State Legislature, as well as Governor Kathy Hochul, must call for the independent investigation of all law enforcement involved. This was a violent murder of a trans man’s life. Sam’s mother is exactly right that “Sam may be alive today if they [the police] would have done their jobs.”

As we see unfolding with New York’s police abuse and misconduct with the murder of Robert Brooks, law enforcement must not be immune from accountability.

Max Micallef

Schenectady

Micallef is a former resident of Sag Harbor — Ed.