ICE agents shoot detained man in New York while child was in car

ICE officers shot and wounded a man in Marble Hill, New York on Thursday during an attempted arrest while his five-year-old son was in the back seat, authorities said. The man, Oscar Belgal, was struck superficially in the neck and is now being held at a detention facility, and the child was reported unharmed.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said officers fired while attempting to arrest a man with a criminal history and that they were not aware the child was in the vehicle. Mullin said the officers identified themselves and were wearing body-worn cameras that were turned on during the incident.

Marcos Charles, a senior ICE official, said agents used their vehicles to try to stop Belgal after he resisted orders to exit and accelerated, smashing into two ICE vehicles. Charles said Belgal then accelerated toward other officers, which agents perceived as weaponizing his vehicle, and they fired because they believed their lives and the lives of partners and the public were in danger. The number of officers who fired is under investigation.

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said ICE agents surrounded Belgal’s car before opening fire and that some agents wore construction vests and masks concealing their faces, creating no reasonable way to identify them as ICE agents. Mamdani confirmed the child was unharmed and described the incident as unconscionable and incredibly serious.

Body-worn camera footage has not been released by ICE, though unverified social media videos appear to align with Mamdani’s observations. The New York Police Department released body camera footage showing NYPD officers arriving on scene, attempting to help Belgal after he was shot, calling for an ambulance and placing him in a police car to take him to hospital.

Mullin and Mamdani each spoke with President Donald Trump after the incident, according to Mamdani, who said he failed to negotiate Belgal’s release and plans to ask the president to end ICE enforcement actions in New York. Mullin stated he will not pause enforcement.

The Department of Homeland Security said Belgal, 28, is from the Dominican Republic and has a prior conviction for grand larceny with multiple prior arrests for assault, robbery, possession of drugs and weapons possession. DHS also said Belgal was arrested by New York police in December 2023 and released a few days later, and that there is a pending case for criminal sale of a controlled substance in 2025. DHS alleged Belgal was associated with the Trinitarios, described by the US Justice Department as a transnational criminal group, and that he may have direct or indirect knowledge of a CBP officer shooting.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul called for rapid answers from federal officials and criticized what she described as acts of violence by a rogue federal agency. The incident adds to several high-profile shootings involving ICE officers this year, including a January shooting in Minneapolis that resulted in the death of Renee Good.

Liberal News Analysis: What Does This Development Mean?

The use of force by ICE officers during the attempted arrest of Oscar Belgal highlights tensions between federal enforcement actions and local officials in New York. Conflicting descriptions of the agents’ appearance and the circumstances that led to shots being fired have prompted demands for transparency and accountability from city and state leaders.

The incident has immediate implications for oversight of immigration enforcement operations in urban residential areas, given the presence of a child and the involvement of multiple agencies on scene. Investigations into the number of officers who fired and the sequence of events will influence public and political responses in both municipal and federal forums.

Quick Glance: What You Need to Know

• ICE officers shot and wounded Oscar Belgal in Marble Hill, New York while his five-year-old son was in the back seat.
• Markwayne Mullin said officers were not aware the child was in the vehicle and that body-worn cameras were active.
• Marcos Charles said Belgal accelerated and struck ICE vehicles before agents opened fire; the number of officers who fired is under investigation.
• Zohran Mamdani said agents wore construction vests and masks that concealed their identities and described the incident as unconscionable.
• The DHS reported Belgal has prior convictions and arrests and alleged ties to the Trinitarios; he was arrested in December 2023 and released days later.
• Kathy Hochul demanded quick answers from federal officials and criticized the actions of the federal agency.