An ICE agent shot Oscar Belgal in New York City while he was in a car with his five-year-old son. Mayor Mamdani and Governor Hochul demanded an end to ICE operations, while DHS stated the shooting occurred during a targeted arrest.
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot a man in New York City on Thursday, October 8, 2026, while the man was seated in a car with his five-year-old son. The incident, which took place in the Marble Hill neighborhood, has sparked protests and calls from local officials to halt federal immigration enforcement in the city.
According to New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, the man, identified as 28-year-old Oscar Belgal, was pulling into a parking space when a plainclothes federal officer approached with a gun drawn, followed by another officer who was also not in uniform. Tisch stated that Belgal began to pull the car forward, at which point at least one officer fired seven rounds, hitting Belgal below his left ear.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, said its officers were conducting a “targeted enforcement operation” in the Bronx about 4pm to arrest Belgal, who they identified as a Dominican national with a criminal conviction. DHS described Belgal as a “criminal illegal alien” and stated that an officer “discharged his weapon” during the operation. The DHS added that the incident remains under investigation.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani described the event as an “unconscionable and incredibly serious situation.” He noted that early reports indicated agents surrounded the man and the child before firing multiple rounds. Mamdani stated that the child was believed to be physically unharmed and was later with a relative. “I will not stand by while ICE agents terrorise our communities,” Mamdani said.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said she spoke with President Donald Trump and US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin on Thursday night. “I expressed outrage on behalf of New Yorkers and urged them to halt ICE enforcement operations in New York,” Hochul said in a statement. She also requested that any body camera footage of the shooting be released to the public.
Mayor Mamdani stated that he has called President Trump and would demand an end to all ICE enforcement actions in the city. He further stated that the agency “must be abolished.”
The Bronx District Attorney announced on Friday that she is launching an investigation into the actions of federal agents. Community groups, including the coalition Hands Off NYC, are demanding the release of Belgal, the release of all video of the shooting, and an independent investigation by the state attorney general.
Protests erupted on Thursday evening, with demonstrators gathering at the scene and later marching to the hospital where Belgal was treated. Some scuffles with police broke out, and five protesters were arrested on charges of obstructing governmental administration.
Around 11 p.m., Belgal was driven away from the hospital by ICE agents in unmarked vehicles, despite requests from Mayor Mamdani and Governor Hochul for his release. Police Commissioner Tisch confirmed that Belgal remained conscious and was receiving medical treatment.
Rep. Adriano Espaillat met with the child on Thursday night and expressed concern for his well-being. “He could be scarred by witnessing, such an aggressive, incident involving his dad and the rest of the family seems to be very afraid,” Espaillat said.
This incident occurs amid heightened scrutiny of ICE, which has doubled in size to more than 22,000 agents and is the highest-funded federal law enforcement agency with about $75bn allocated over four years. The shooting follows other controversial incidents involving federal immigration agents, including the deaths of two US citizens in Minneapolis in January. Local officials argue that the agency operates with impunity, while DHS maintains that its agents are conducting targeted enforcement operations against individuals with criminal histories.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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