United States
NEW YORK MAYOR DEMANDS END TO ICE OPERATIONS AFTER AGENT SHOOTS MAN WITH CHILD IN CAR
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has called on US President Donald Trump to halt Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations across the cit...
By Wavers News
A man is detained at the scene of a shooting involving US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in New York City on October 8, 2026.
The shooting occurred on Thursday, October 8, in the Marble Hill neighbourhood of Manhattan. The 28-year-old man, identified by city authorities as Oscar Belgal, was struck in the neck and taken to hospital for treatment. The child, believed to be his son, was not physically injured.
The incident has intensified tensions between New York officials and the Trump administration over federal immigration enforcement, with city leaders demanding answers about the use of force and the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
SEVEN SHOTS FIRED DURING ARREST OPERATION
The shooting happened at approximately 4 p.m. local time as federal agents attempted to detain Belgal during a targeted enforcement operation.
New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said surveillance footage captured officers approaching the driver's side of the vehicle. One officer approached the driver's window with a firearm drawn, while another moved towards the front of the vehicle.
The vehicle subsequently began moving forward and disappeared from the camera's view. Investigators later determined that at least one ICE agent had fired seven rounds, striking the driver in the neck below his left ear.
The available surveillance footage did not capture the actual shooting, leaving investigators to establish the precise sequence of events using other evidence.
The Department of Homeland Security said an ICE officer discharged a weapon during the operation, injuring the intended target. Federal officials said agents provided medical assistance after the shooting.
CHILD INSIDE VEHICLE ESCAPES PHYSICAL INJURY
The presence of a young child inside the vehicle has become a central issue in the public reaction to the incident.
Authorities said the five-year-old boy was in the back seat when the shots were fired. He was later found safe and placed in the care of a family member.
Mamdani condemned the circumstances surrounding the shooting, expressing concern that gunfire had been directed at a vehicle carrying a child in a residential neighbourhood.
The mayor said the incident was particularly alarming because the area was busy with families and children returning from school.
The shooting has raised questions about the risks associated with carrying out armed enforcement operations in populated neighbourhoods, particularly when children and other bystanders may be nearby.
MAMDANI SEEKS TRUMP'S INTERVENTION
Following the shooting, Mamdani called Trump and demanded an end to ICE enforcement operations in New York City.
The mayor later said he had spent approximately two hours speaking with the president and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin in an effort to secure the injured man's release from federal custody.
However, the discussions did not produce the outcome he wanted.
Mamdani maintained that the incident demonstrated the dangers posed by federal immigration operations in local communities. He renewed his criticism of ICE and called for the agency to be abolished.
His response reflects a wider disagreement between New York's Democratic leadership and the Trump administration over immigration enforcement and the extent to which federal authorities should operate within cities that oppose the administration's approach.
FEDERAL OFFICIALS DEFEND ENFORCEMENT OPERATION
The Department of Homeland Security said the operation was intended to arrest a 28-year-old Dominican national who was the target of an immigration enforcement action.
Federal officials alleged that Belgal had a prior criminal conviction and associations with the Trinitarios gang. They also cited previous arrests involving allegations of criminal activity.
New York police said Belgal had two prior arrests in the city. He pleaded guilty to a grand larceny offence stemming from a 2023 robbery arrest, while a separate case involving an alleged drug offence remained pending.
The allegations cited by federal officials have not, by themselves, established what happened immediately before the agent opened fire.
The Department of Homeland Security said the incident remained under investigation and that additional information would be provided as it became available.
GOVERNOR CALLS FOR TRANSPARENCY
New York Governor Kathy Hochul also criticised the shooting and called for greater transparency from federal authorities.
Hochul said she had spoken with Trump and Mullin, urging them to suspend immigration enforcement operations in the state. She also called for the release of any available body-camera footage to help establish the facts.
Other elected officials and community representatives demanded a full investigation, arguing that the public needed a clear account of why an agent fired multiple rounds at a vehicle in a residential area.
The investigation is expected to focus on the actions of the federal agents, the movement of the vehicle and the circumstances that led to the use of deadly force.
PROTESTS FOLLOW SHOOTING
The incident triggered protests in the neighbourhood and near the hospital where Belgal was receiving treatment.
Demonstrators criticised ICE and demanded accountability, while some confrontations occurred during the protests. Several people were taken into custody following demonstrations, according to local reporting.
The shooting has added to ongoing national debate over the Trump administration's immigration enforcement policies and the use of force during federal operations.
For New York officials, the immediate concerns include the injured man's recovery, the safety of the child who witnessed the incident and whether the investigation will establish a clear justification for the shooting.
Federal authorities have not announced a final determination, and the circumstances surrounding the use of force remain under investigation.