Man sleeping in dumpster was killed when it was emptied into garbage truck in New York

COMMACK, N.Y. — A man was killed and another injured after a dumpster they were sleeping in was emptied into a garbage truck in New York, police said Thursday.

The two men had been in a dumpster at a shopping plaza in Commack, on Long Island, when the dumpster was emptied into a garbage truck early Thursday, according to Suffolk County police.

When the truck stopped at William Rogers Middle School in Kings Park, nearly six miles away, someone spotted a person inside the back of the truck around 6:30 a.m.

Police said that person was removed and taken to Huntington Hospital for treatment of a leg injury.

The other man was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said the medical examiner’s office will determine the cause of death, but said they don’t believe the man was dead before he was dumped in the truck.

Police also didn’t identify the men other than to say they were believed to have been both sleeping in the dumpster at the time.

School officials in Kings Park sent a message to parents to assure them that the emergency response at the middle school was “completely unrelated” to the school, that there was no threat to students or staff, and that classes were operating as usual.