ICE Shooting in Manhattan Sparks Outcry; Mamdani Calls for Enforcement Operations to End

ICE Shooting in Manhattan Sparks Outcry; Mamdani Calls for Enforcement Operations to End

Times Square Global Live | New York, October 10, 2026

A federal immigration enforcement operation in Manhattan’s Marble Hill neighborhood ended in a shooting this week, intensifying tensions between New York City and the Trump administration over immigration enforcement and the city’s sanctuary policies.

On the afternoon of October 8, federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers shot 28-year-old Oscar Belgal in the neck while attempting to arrest him. A five-year-old boy was in the vehicle but was not physically injured. The shooting prompted protests and renewed debate over the use of force, transparency and public safety in immigrant communities.

## Mamdani says two-hour call failed to secure Belgal’s release

Mayor Zohran Mamdani spoke to reporters near the scene on Thursday evening. He said many details remained unclear, but preliminary information indicated that federal officers surrounded the vehicle before opening fire. He said the officers wore construction-style vests and face coverings, making it difficult to identify them.

Mamdani said the shooting happened as school had just let out and families and children were on the street. The child in the car was physically unharmed, he said, but had been through a frightening experience.

The mayor said he spent about two hours on the phone with President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, seeking Belgal’s release. The effort was unsuccessful, and federal agents took Belgal from the hospital, Mamdani said. He called the shooting “an outrage,” said ICE makes the city less safe, and renewed his call to end ICE enforcement in New York City. He also described the agency as “rotten to its core” and reiterated his support for abolishing it.

City police and federal officials give differing accounts

New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the NYPD’s preliminary investigation found that Belgal was backing into a parking space when a plainclothes federal officer approached the driver’s side with a gun drawn. Another officer approached the vehicle. The car then began moving forward. The surveillance camera did not capture the shooting, but evidence at the scene indicated that at least one ICE officer fired seven rounds, striking Belgal in the neck.

The NYPD said it had no role in the federal operation and that no city officers were present when the shots were fired. The Department of Homeland Security, however, said officers did not know a child was in the vehicle and claimed Belgal struck two federal vehicles. The department said officers believed they and the public were in danger.

The accounts differ on what happened immediately before the shooting. Video released by the NYPD shows the scene after city officers arrived, but does not show the shooting itself. The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations are involved, and the case remains under investigation.

City releases responding officers’ footage and offers legal support

After receiving emergency calls, NYPD officers went to the scene, transported the wounded man to a hospital and checked on the child. Police said the boy was later placed in the care of a family member. The department subsequently released body-camera footage from officers who responded after the shooting.

The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs said it would continue providing immigrant New Yorkers with trusted information, “Know Your Rights” resources and access to legal support. The office also publicized its free, confidential Immigration Legal Support Hotline: **1-800-354-0365**.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul also called for a pause in ICE enforcement in the state and urged the release of any body-camera footage of the operation. Mullin criticized New York’s sanctuary policies and said the federal government would not pause immigration enforcement.

The Department of Homeland Security also said it was willing to turn Belgal over to the NYPD if city police wanted to pursue criminal charges. That account of the conversation has not been independently verified and differs from Mamdani’s description of his efforts to secure Belgal’s release.

Judge blocks deportation, but does not order release

On October 9, a federal judge temporarily barred the government from deporting Belgal without further court authorization. As of October 10, he remained in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. His lawyers said the bullet was still lodged in his body.

The court order temporarily blocks deportation; it does not order Belgal’s release from custody.

New York Attorney General Letitia James called for a “full and transparent investigation” and said she had confidence in Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark. Protests and public criticism of the shooting continued as attention turned to how the officers identified themselves, what happened as the vehicle moved, and whether federal body-camera footage will be released.

Publication note: As of October 10, Mamdani’s request to halt ICE operations and his effort to secure Belgal’s release had not succeeded. The judge’s order blocks deportation, but does not require Belgal’s release.