ICE officers shot a 28-year-old illegal immigrant named Oscar Belgal in New York City on Thursday after he rammed two federal vehicles and then accelerated toward other officers on foot. The whole thing was caught on body cameras worn by both ICE and NYPD officers who responded to the scene.
This was ICE’s second attempt to arrest Belgal. He had already run from agents back in September, so officers boxed him in this time. He refused orders to get out of the car, then stomped the gas and struck two ICE vehicles. That wasn’t enough for him, though. Marcos Charles, executive associate director of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, said Belgal then “weaponized his vehicle and proceeded to accelerate, going towards other officers.” At that point, agents opened fire.
“Our officers, using their training and believing that their life and the life of the general public was in danger, used their training and fired weapons,” Charles said. One bullet or fragment caught Belgal “superficially” in the neck. He got first aid and was taken to the hospital, where body camera footage showed NYPD officers rushing him in while one repeatedly shouted for his partner to apply pressure to the wound.
Worth mentioning: Belgal had a 5-year-old child in the car with him when all this went down. He thought that was a reasonable situation to drive a vehicle at federal law enforcement officers. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin confirmed the ICE officers’ body cameras recorded everything. ICE has since moved Belgal to a detention facility outside New York, location undisclosed.
According to the ICE shooting in New York City, Belgal has a prior conviction for grand larceny and previous arrests for assault, robbery, drug possession, and weapons possession. On April 5, 2025, he was sentenced to five years of probation. Probation. For all of that.
Here’s how Belgal stayed on the streets this long. The NYPD arrested him on December 7, 2023, but New York’s sanctuary city policies meant they released him days later without ever telling ICE. So the city essentially handed him back and wished him well. DHS also says Belgal has alleged ties to the Trinitarios gang, which has been linked to the shooting of a Customs and Border Protection officer last year. Charles said Belgal is believed to possibly have a connection to that earlier shooting as well. “The gang that he runs with is known for theft using weapons and mopeds,” Charles added.
ICE says it will pursue removal proceedings and prosecute Belgal “to the fullest” as quickly as possible. Charles was direct: “This individual yesterday decided to not comply with lawful orders given by federal law enforcement officers, ICE officers, good men and women that are out there every day enforcing the immigration laws.” New York’s sanctuary policies helped keep him on the streets long enough to make that sentence necessary. Let us know what you think in the comments or on social media.
