ICE Shooting: US Defends Agents Who Shot Dominican Man With 5-Year-Old Son in Car

Oscar Belgal ICE Shooting: US Immigration Officials Defend ICE Agents Who Shot Man in Same Car as Child in NYC

Oscar Belgal ICE Shooting US immigration officials have defended ICE agents involved in a shooting incident in New York City, where a man was shot while his 5-year-old child was in the back seat of the car. The incident took place in the Marble Hill neighborhood of the Bronx on Thursday afternoon, October 9, during a targeted enforcement operation to apprehend Oscar Belgal, a 28-year-old Dominican national who officials say is in the country illegally.

What Happened? (Oscar Belgal ICE Shooting)

Oscar Belgal ICE Shooting According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and senior Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official Marcos Charles, an incident involving ICE officers occurred in the Marble Hill neighborhood of the Bronx. The officers attempted to arrest Oscar Belgal, a 28-year-old Dominican national. When Belgal was parallel parking his gray Honda, ICE officers used their vehicles to box him in. Allegedly refusing to exit, Belgal accelerated, striking two ICE vehicles and driving toward the officers. In response, the agents fired at least seven rounds, resulting in a superficial grazing wound to Belgal neck.

Oscar Belgal ICE Shooting Following the incident, he was taken to a local hospital and later transferred to a detention facility outside of New York. Notably, Belgal 5-year-old son was in the back seat during the shooting but was unharmed and is currently with a relative. The shooting incident took place in the residential neighborhood of Marble Hill, as described by Marcos Charles, a senior official from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), during a press conference held on Friday. According to Charles, ICE agents attempted to apprehend an individual named Belgal, who was driving a car. Instead of complying with the officers’ directions to exit the vehicle, Belgal accelerated and collided with two ICE vehicles.

ICE Says Officers Fired in Self-Defense as Mamdani Questions Their Actions

Oscar Belgal ICE Shooting Charles stated that Belgal “weaponized his vehicle,” endangering not only the officers present but also the general public. In response to what they perceived as a direct threat to their lives and the lives of their colleagues, the officers utilized their training and fired their weapons. The ongoing investigation seeks to determine the total number of officers who discharged their firearms during the incident.Charles reported that Belgal was superficially injured in the neck by bullets or fragments during an encounter involving ICE agents.

Oscar Belgal ICE Shooting New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani characterized the event as “unconscionable and incredibly serious,” highlighting that the agents surrounded Belgal vehicle before discharging their firearms. Mamdani criticized the agents’ use of construction vests and masks that obscured their identities, arguing that there was no reasonable way to recognize them as ICE personnel. He reassured that the child was unharmed during the incident. In contrast, Mullin asserted that the officers had identified themselves and were equipped with body-worn cameras that were operational throughout the occurrence.

Body-worn camera footage released by the New York Police Department (NYPD) on Friday depicts the chaotic scene following a shooting involving an individual named Belgal. Although the official video remains unreleased, unverified social media videos seem to corroborate comments made by a witness named Mamdani. The footage reveals NYPD officers arriving on the scene shortly after the incident, where they immediately attempt to assist Belgal, who has sustained gunshot wounds. One notable detail is the presence of an ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) officer, who is identifiable by a neon construction vest and is carrying a significant firearm. Oscar Belgal ICE Shooting

New York Officials Demand Answers Over ICE Shooting and Federal Enforcement Practices

Oscar Belgal ICE Shooting The officers actions demonstrate a quick response as they call for an ambulance and subsequently transport Belgal to the hospital using a police vehicle. The footage concludes with the officers seen removing Belgal from the police car and carrying him into the hospital for medical treatment, highlighting the urgency of the situation and the law enforcement efforts to provide immediate aid. Mamdani reported on Thursday that he had engaged in a two-hour conversation with US President Donald Trump and Mullin but was unsuccessful in negotiating the release of Belgal.

Oscar Belgal ICE Shooting He expressed intention to urge Trump, who has yet to make a public statement regarding the shooting incident, to cease ICE enforcement actions in New York, a request that Mullin has indicated he will not accommodate. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revealed that Belgal, aged 28 and originally from the Dominican Republic, had a criminal background that included a conviction for grand larceny along with multiple arrests for offenses such as assault, robbery, drug possession, and weapons possession.

Belgal had been detained by New York police in December 2023 but was released shortly thereafter. Additionally, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch noted that there is an ongoing case against Belgal for the criminal sale of a controlled substance, dating to 2025. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has implicated Belgal in connections with the Trinitarios, a group recognized by the US Justice Department as a transnational criminal organization. According to Mullin, the DHS suspects that Belgal possesses either direct or indirect knowledge related to a shooting incident involving a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer, which has made him a target of interest.

Oscar Belgal ICE Shooting Additionally, New York officials, including Governor Kathy Hochul, have expressed discontent regarding the incident, urging federal authorities to provide swift clarification on the events that transpired. New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressed her concerns regarding violent actions conducted by federal agents, specifically criticizing the practices of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). She emphasized that New Yorkers have endured numerous incidents of violence perpetrated by these agents, highlighting the lack of training and accountability within the agency.

Oscar Belgal ICE Shooting Hochul referenced her discussions with both Mullin and Trump regarding these issues. Notably, she pointed to several alarming instances of shootings involving ICE officers throughout the year, including a tragic incident in January that resulted in the death of Renee Good in Minneapolis. This statement underscores an increasing scrutiny of federal law enforcement practices and the pressing need for reform to ensure accountability and better training for agents. Oscar Belgal ICE Shooting

Summary

• US immigration officials defended ICE agents who shot Dominican national Oscar Belgal during an attempted arrest in New York City Marble Hill neighborhood.
• Officials said Belgal accelerated his vehicle toward ICE officers and struck two vehicles, prompting agents to open fire. Belgal suffered a superficial neck wound, while his 5-year-old son, who was in the back seat, was unharmed.
• New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani questioned the agents’ conduct, particularly their use of masks and construction vests, and called for answers about the shooting.
• Federal authorities cited Belgal alleged criminal connections and previous charges as part of the reasons he was targeted for arrest. These claims remain separate from the investigation into the shooting.
• Mayor Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul urged federal officials to clarify the incident, while Hochul raised broader concerns about ICE use of force, training and accountability.