NYPD officer dies in Kuwait while deployed with National Guard

A New York City police officer died while deployed with the Army National Guard in Kuwait, officials said.

Maj. Sorffly Davius died Friday at Camp Buehring in Kuwait, where he’d been stationed with the 42nd Infantry Division, according to the New York National Guard. The city Police Department said he died after a medical episode, though the National Guard described the cause as undetermined.

The 42nd Infantry Division has been deployed to Kuwait since last summer as a regular rotation to take command of Task Force Spartan, which is part of a larger operation to maintain an American presence in the region. The unit had previously deployed for the same mission in 2020.

Davius served as a data systems engineering officer responsible for computer and communications network security for the division headquarters, according to the New York National Guard.

Davius had also served as part of Joint Task Force Empire Shield, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul. The mission provides security support and assistance to civilian authorities at high-profile locations around New York, including regularly patrolling Penn Station and other transit hubs.

“His life is a powerful reminder of the extraordinary sacrifices made by our National Guard members, who balance their roles as citizens, first responders, and soldiers,” Hochul said.

Davius had served as an NYPD officer since 2014. He was assigned to the 79th Precinct in Bedford-Stuyvesant.

He joined the Air Force in 2004 and later transferred to the New York Army National Guard in 2013, according to the New York National Guard. He previously deployed to Afghanistan from 2010 to 2011 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

“His career was defined by service — to his country and to New York City,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with Officer Davius and his entire family as they mourn his loss. May his memory be a blessing.”

He is survived by his wife and six children, according to the New York National Guard.

This story has been updated with information from the New York National Guard.

Phil Corso contributed reporting.