US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) chief Markwayne Mullin defended officers who shot and wounded a man, Oscar Belgal, in his car in New York on Thursday. The incident occurred while Belgal's five-year-old son was in the back seat. Mullin stated that officers opened fire while trying to arrest Belgal, who had a criminal history.
According to Mullin, the officers were not aware that a child was in the car. He argued that it was Belgal who put his child in danger. Belgal is being held at a detention facility, and his lawyers appeared at a hearing on his behalf on Friday. His attorney, Harold Solis, said that Belgal's first concern was whether his son was okay.
The shooting occurred in the residential neighborhood of Marble Hill. Marcos Charles, a top ICE official, stated that the agency's officers used their vehicles to try and stop Belgal in his car, but he resisted orders to get out and instead accelerated, smashing into two ICE vehicles. Charles claimed that Belgal then "weaponised his vehicle and proceeded to accelerate going towards other officers."
Charles stated that the officers used their training and fired weapons, believing that their lives and the lives of their partners in the general public were in danger. Belgal was struck by one of the bullets or fragments superficially in the neck. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani called the incident "unconscionable and incredibly serious." Mamdani stated that ICE agents surrounded Belgal's car before opening fire, wearing construction vests and masks that concealed their faces.
Mamdani confirmed that the child was unharmed. Mullin stated that the officers identified themselves and were wearing body-worn cameras that were turned on during the incident. However, video of the shooting, including body camera footage, has not been made public. Unverified videos on social media appear to align with Mamdani's comments.
The DHS stated that Belgal, 28, was from the Dominican Republic and had "a prior criminal conviction for grand larceny and multiple prior arrests for assault, robbery, possession of drugs and weapons possession." Belgal was arrested by police officers in New York in December 2023 and released "a few days later." There is also a pending case against Belgal for criminal sale of a controlled substance in 2025.
New York officials have criticized the incident. Governor Kathy Hochul stated that federal officials needed to provide answers quickly about what happened. Hochul added that she had spoken to Mullin and US President Donald Trump. There have been several high-profile shootings involving ICE officers this year, including one that caused the death of Renee Good in Minneapolis in January.
Key points
- The US Department of Homeland Security defended ICE agents who shot a man in his car while his five-year-old son was present.
- The incident occurred while officers were trying to arrest the man, Oscar Belgal, who had a prior criminal history.
- New York officials have criticized the incident, calling for answers and an end to ICE enforcement actions in the state.
