ICE Agent Shoots Dominican Man During Arrest in New York City
A 28-year-old Dominican man was shot in the neck by an ICE officer in New York after he allegedly drove his car into officers' vehicles. A five-year-old boy was in the car at the time.
ICE Opens Fire on Man in New York After Car Rams Officers' Vehicles
A senior Immigration and Customs Enforcement official told reporters Friday that federal immigration officers shot a Dominican man in New York City after he drove his vehicle into their cars, leading officers to fear for their lives, jamaica-gleaner.com reports.
The man, identified by New York City police as Oscar Belgal, 28, was struck "superficially" in the neck during an attempted arrest. Marcos Charles, the senior ICE official, confirmed the shooting at a news conference held alongside US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin in Washington. Authorities have not released details of Belgal's current condition.
According to Charles, officers had used their vehicles to block Belgal as he tried to drive away. He accelerated toward them, prompting officers to open fire. "Our officers, using their training and believing that their life and the life of the partners and the general public were in danger, used their training and fired weapons," Charles said.
A five-year-old boy was in the car with Belgal when the shooting occurred. Mullin said ICE agents were unaware the child was present, but that Belgal "was aware" and chose to put the boy at risk by attempting to flee.
Charles said Belgal was associated with a robbery crew that operated with mopeds and weapons. He was convicted of grand larceny last year and sentenced to five years of probation. Charles added that Belgal had previously evaded ICE officers in September when they attempted to arrest him for deportation.
An attorney representing Belgal in a pending case did not return a voicemail by Friday.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul, both Democrats, said they had pressed Mullin and President Donald Trump to release Belgal, without success. They called on the administration to immediately publish ICE body camera footage of the incident and to suspend immigration enforcement operations in the city.
Mullin confirmed Belgal was being held at a facility outside New York City but declined to specify the location. He acknowledged that ICE officers had activated body cameras during the arrest but gave no timeline for the release of any footage.
On Friday, the New York City Police Department released its own footage recorded as city officers arrived at the scene after the shooting. The department had previously stated its officers were not present when the shooting took place. The video shows Belgal seated on the ground, hands behind his back, head drooping, surrounded by officials. Officers are seen lifting him and placing him into a black SUV before he was transported to hospital. "Yo put pressure. Put pressure," an officer can be heard saying as the vehicle reverses down the street.
New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Belgal had been pulling into a parking space when a plainclothes federal officer approached with his weapon drawn, followed by a second officer also not in uniform. As Belgal moved the car forward, at least one officer fired seven rounds, striking him below his left ear.
The Department of Homeland Security framed the news conference around what it described as the "dangerous consequences of sanctuary city policies." Protesters and local officials condemned the shooting as evidence of the risks posed by the Trump administration's immigration enforcement campaign.
Source: Google News JM — Crime