A federal immigration agent shot a 28-year-old man in the neck in New York City on Thursday evening, an incident witnessed by a 5-year-old boy believed to be the man's son, according to authorities. The shooting occurred in Marble Hill, the northernmost neighborhood of Manhattan, and the child was not struck by gunfire.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated that the man, identified as Oscar Belgal, was shot after an ICE agent discharged seven rounds into his vehicle. The Department of Homeland Security said its officers were carrying out a targeted enforcement operation to apprehend an undocumented immigrant with a criminal history.
According to DHS, the individual is affiliated with the Trinitarios, a Dominican gang. Commissioner Tisch noted that Belgal had two prior arrests: one in 2023 on a robbery charge and another in 2025 for criminal sale of a controlled substance. The 2025 case remains pending, while Belgal pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of fourth-degree larceny in the 2023 matter.
Homeland Security acknowledged that an ICE officer shot the man during an attempted arrest and said agents "immediately rendered aid." Belgal was transported to a local hospital. Tisch explained that the NYPD became involved after officers nearby heard the gunshots.
Following the shooting, protests erupted, and CBS News reported that five people were arrested.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned the shooting as an "outrage" and said he contacted President Trump and DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin in an effort to negotiate Belgal's release, but those efforts were unsuccessful. Mamdani also accused the Trump administration of "terrorizing our city," according to TMZ.com.
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Ava Hart
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