'We Want ICE Out of Our City': NYC Shooting Sparks Outrage After Man Is Shot With Child in Car

An armed enforcement operation by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in New York City has provoked widespread fury after an agent fired seven rounds into a vehicle carrying a five-year-old child, striking the 28-year-old driver in the neck

The shooting took place at approximately 4pm on Thursday, 8 October 2026, near the intersection of Marble Hill Avenue and West 225th Street in upper Manhattan, leaving motorist Oscar Belgal hospitalised with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani issued a blistering condemnation of the federal raid, describing the confrontation as deeply alarming and calling directly upon President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to end ICE operations across the five boroughs.

Although police confirmed that the young child was physically unharmed and safely transferred to family members, the daylight gunfire in a crowded residential neighbourhood has ignited fresh protests against aggressive federal deportations in sanctuary cities.

As federal authorities defend the operation by citing Belgal's previous criminal history, local leaders and residents are demanding immediate accountability over the use of lethal force around children.

How the ICE Operation Ended in Gunfire

According to New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch, preliminary information indicated that federal officers approached a grey Honda while attempting to detain a man. One officer approached the driver's side with a firearm drawn, while another moved towards the front of the vehicle.

Tisch said the vehicle subsequently moved forward and that an ICE officer fired seven rounds, striking the driver in the neck. The injured man was identified by police as Oscar Belgal. Authorities said he was taken to hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

According to DHS, ICE officers 'immediately rendered aid,' adding that Belgal 'is alive and at a local hospital.' In addition, Tisch said the officers came across multiple individuals wearing vests for construction and masks, and that one of them was noted to have a gun.

'When they arrived, they encountered several men in various forms of attire, including some in construction-style vests, face masks and at least one carrying a long gun,' Tisch said.

Mayor Mamdani Demands Action From Trump

Mamdani responded forcefully, saying the reported presence of a young child inside the vehicle made the incident particularly alarming.

He also said he had contacted President Donald Trump and intended to press him to stop ICE enforcement operations in New York City.

'Early reports indicate agents ​surrounded him and a 5-year-old child in his car before firing multiple rounds,' Mamdani said.

During a press conference later that day, Mamdani said his discussions with Trump and DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin had failed to secure the man's release.

'These actions are making the city less safe,' The NYC mayor continued. 'This city wants ICE out. We want ICE out of our city, ICE out of our schools, ICE out of our hospitals, ICE out of our ​streets, ICE away from our kids. We want that because we want to keep the city safe.'

Federal officials said the operation targeted a specific individual. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) described the man as a Dominican national with a criminal history, including a grand larceny conviction and previous arrests. Those allegations have featured prominently in the federal account, but they do not independently establish whether the force used during the encounter was justified.

Child's Presence Fuels Calls for Accountability

The shooting has prompted questions about how federal officers conduct arrests in busy residential areas, particularly when children or other members of the public may be nearby.

Reports from the scene described a significant law enforcement presence, while footage and images showed damage to the vehicle's windshield.

The child's safety offered some relief amid concerns about the potential consequences of gunfire in a confined space, but the incident adds to scrutiny of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, which has stirred disputes between federal authorities and officials in cities that resist its enforcement approach.

Sanctuary City Tensions Reach Boiling Point

The Marble Hill incident marks the latest flashpoint in an escalating war of words between City Hall and the federal administration. The Trump White House has repeatedly targeted sanctuary jurisdictions, pledging expanded immigration raids across non-cooperative metropolitan areas.

Municipal officials argue that unilateral armed actions by federal personnel undermine public trust and endanger coordination with local police. The New York Police Department maintained that city officers were not involved in executing the initial federal enforcement stop.

Independent inquiries into the tactical conduct of the ICE agents are expected to continue as federal and city authorities trade blame.