ICE agents defend shooting Oscar Belgal in car with son present

On Thursday, ICE agents fired several shots at Oscar Belgal while he sat in his car in the Marble Hill neighbourhood of New York City. The five‑year‑old son was in the back seat, and police reports say he was unharmed. Officers said they opened fire after Belgal accelerated, slammed into two ICE vehicles, and used his car as a weapon. He was hit in the neck, taken to a hospital, discharged, and now is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.

Belgal, who has a criminal record, was being pursued for an arrest when the confrontation began. The Department of Homeland Security’s chief, Markwayne Mullin, defended the agents’ actions, saying they were protecting themselves and the public and were unaware that a child was inside. He argued that Belgal had put his son in danger by refusing to exit the vehicle. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani called the incident “unconscionable and incredibly serious,” noting that the agents wore construction vests and masks that concealed their faces, making it hard to identify them.

Body‑camera footage released by the New York Police Department shows ICE officers in neon vests and one armed with a large gun. Unverified videos on social media appear to match the mayor’s description. Belgal’s lawyers appeared at a Friday hearing, insisting the child’s safety was a priority and noting that the client still has a bullet in his body. The number of officers who fired is under investigation, and the case is set to continue in court as the attorneys argue for his release and for the child’s protection.

The incident raises questions about ICE’s use‑of‑force protocols and the safety of bystanders, especially children, during arrest operations. DHS and ICE have pledged to investigate, and the body‑camera footage is yet to be publicly released. The outcome of the investigation could influence future training and oversight of immigration enforcement officers in high‑risk scenarios.