U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents reportedly wore construction vests and face coverings while carrying out an arrest operation in New York City, before shooting a man who had his five-year-old child in the back seat of his car.
The incident occurred on Thursday, October 8, 2026, in the Marble Hill neighbourhood of New York City. The man, identified by local authorities as 28-year-old Oscar Belgal, was shot in the neck during the federal immigration enforcement operation.
The shooting has sparked public outrage, with city officials questioning the agents’ tactics and raising concerns about the risks posed to families and other members of the public.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the agents wore reflective construction vests and masks that concealed their faces, making it difficult for members of the public to recognise them as law enforcement officers. According to city officials, the shooting happened at around 4 p.m., shortly after school had let out, when children and families were on the streets.
New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said preliminary information indicated that an officer in plain clothes approached Belgal’s vehicle with a gun drawn. At least seven shots were reportedly fired into the car, with Belgal struck in the neck. The five-year-old child in the back seat was not physically injured.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said ICE agents were conducting a targeted enforcement operation to apprehend Belgal, whom authorities described as a Dominican national with a criminal record.
Federal officials alleged that Belgal drove his vehicle into ICE vehicles during the attempted arrest, prompting the officer to open fire. The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under scrutiny, and the competing accounts have intensified calls for transparency.
Belgal was taken to hospital for treatment before being transferred into federal immigration custody, according to reports.
Mayor Mamdani condemned the shooting and said he had contacted President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin in an unsuccessful effort to secure Belgal’s release. New York Governor Kathy Hochul also called for answers and urged federal authorities to release any available body-camera footage of the incident.
The shooting has renewed debate over ICE enforcement operations in New York and the potential dangers of conducting arrests in busy residential neighbourhoods.
The shooting prompted protests as residents and immigration advocates demanded accountability and questioned the use of force during the operation. The case has also drawn attention to the broader tensions between federal immigration authorities and New York City officials over immigration enforcement.
Investigations and further disclosures, including any available footage from the agents involved, may help clarify the events leading up to the shooting.
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