Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers shot Oscar Belgal, 28, on Thursday evening in the Marble Hill neighborhood of Manhattan following what authorities characterized as an arrest operation. The shooting occurred around 4 p.m. near the intersection of 225th Street and Marble Hill Avenue. According to witness accounts, Belgal had a child in his vehicle at the time of the incident.
Residents expressed concern about the manner in which the operation was conducted. One witness stated that the officers did not appear to be wearing standard uniforms or visible identification indicating their ICE affiliation, creating confusion among bystanders about the identity of those carrying weapons. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated at a press conference that federal officers were unaware a child was present in the vehicle. However, witnesses disputed this characterization, noting the vehicle had only light window tinting. Video footage from the scene showed officers in high-visibility vests and carrying rifles, with visible bullet holes in Belgal’s vehicle.
The Trump administration characterized Belgal as having prior felony convictions, probation status, and alleged gang affiliations. Some neighborhood residents who knew Belgal disputed these characterizations, describing him as a decent community member. Multiple residents reported hearing gunfire during school hours, raising concerns about public safety timing.
Local and state officials strongly condemned the shooting. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani called for ICE to be abolished, while Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticized Target for allegedly providing a staging location for ICE operations. At a federal court hearing on Friday, Belgal’s attorneys reported he retained a bullet in his body. He was initially taken to a private ICE facility in New Jersey before being transferred to the federal Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
Community members expressed broader anxiety about immigration enforcement activities in the neighborhood, with some indicating they no longer felt safe despite their citizenship status.
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