NEW YORK (AP) - A federal immigration officer shot a Dominican man, identified as Oscar Belgal, in the neck while he was driving with a 5-year-old boy in Marble Hill, Manhattan. This incident occurred on Thursday afternoon during a "targeted enforcement operation" by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which faced backlash from protesters and local officials alleging it exemplifies the hazards of the Trump administration's immigration policies.
The 28-year-old Belgal survived the shooting and received treatment at a hospital. According to DHS, the incident involved an ICE officer who discharged his weapon, resulting in the man’s injury. City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated that the event unfolded as Belgal was pulling into a parking space. Plainclothes federal officers approached the vehicle, and when he attempted to move forward, at least one officer fired seven rounds, striking him below the left ear.
The 5-year-old boy, who was unharmed, was later placed with a relative. Tisch emphasized that New York City police were not part of the operation but reacted to the sound of gunfire. The DHS claimed it was attempting to arrest Belgal for being a “criminal illegal alien” with a grand larceny conviction and other arrest history. Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned the shooting as an "outrage" and noted the federal officers’ attire made it hard for bystanders to identify them as immigration agents.
The mayor, who is a Democrat, worked for two hours on Thursday night to persuade Republican President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to release Belgal, to no avail. He voiced concerns over the enforcement operations in the city. Later that night, federal authorities removed Belgal from the hospital.
Governor Kathy Hochul, also a Democrat, relayed a similar message to Trump and Mullin via phone. The shooting took place around 4 p.m. in Marble Hill, a small section of Manhattan attached to the Bronx. Tisch mentioned that an NYPD surveillance camera recorded some events before the gunfire, but not the shooting itself. A local restaurant employee, Pedro Almaraz, reported hearing multiple gunshots and witnessing chaos as the man lay on the ground surrounded by officers in DHS vests and face masks.
Videos post-shooting showed Belgal sitting on the ground with his hands behind his back. Another clip depicted New York City police carrying him into a police vehicle. Witnesses described a damaged car that blocked the road, with two windows displaying small bullet holes. Tisch noted that the shooting resulted in a bullet entering the front windshield and exiting through the rear window.
On Thursday night, local politicians gathered at a press conference at the shooting scene to express their outrage. City Council Member Carmen De La Rosa, who migrated from the Dominican Republic, declared the community’s heartbreak and anger at the situation. Some officials criticized ICE and Trump, and demonstrators outside chanted, “ICE off our streets now!” They marched to the hospital, causing disruptions as they attempted to block the entrance.
DHS has argued that its officers operate in unpredictable, hazardous environments due to “reckless sanctuary policies” in Democrat-led regions, which often limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Belgal had previous arrests, including a 2023 robbery charge, to which he pleaded guilty for grand larceny, resulting in probation. He faced another unresolved drug-sale charge, for which he pleaded not guilty.
Since last year, ICE agents have been involved in several shootings during vehicle stops, resulting in multiple fatalities and injuries. Following an incident in September, ICE instructed its officers to limit engaging in high-speed chases and to conduct vehicle stops only after specific training. Marble Hill resident Alfred Silva criticized the lack of identifiable uniforms on federal officers, advocating for improved transparency to safeguard the public from unidentifiable armed individuals posing as federal agents.
