Five-year-old boy traumatized after witnessing father shot by ICE agents in New York City.
The recent shooting of a 28-year-old man by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in the Bronx has left a small boy deeply traumatized, causing him to stop speaking, according to his mother. The incident occurred around 4 p.m. on Marble Hill Avenue near West 225th Street when an ICE agent fired seven rounds into a silver Honda Civic that the victim, Oscar Belgal, was driving. At the time of the shooting, Belgal’s five-year-old son was in the backseat, witnessing the violence unfold.
Following the traumatic event, Governor Kathy Hochul expressed her concern for the family. She reported that the boy, who had previously been outgoing and communicative, is now unable to speak and is suffering from nightmares. Hochul mentioned that the child’s mother is fearful of further actions by ICE against their family. In her conversation with the mother, Hochul relayed that she had spoken to President Trump, who assured her that ICE would not return to the family’s home.
Belgal, who remains in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn awaiting his next court appearance, had sustained a gunshot wound to the neck and still had a bullet lodged in his body more than 24 hours post-shooting. His attorney stated that Belgal expressed serious concern for the well-being of his son in light of the traumatic experience.
The shooting incident sparked significant unrest and protests across the Bronx and Manhattan, highlighting widespread criticism of ICE’s operations and tactics. Critics have accused ICE agents of heavy-handed, aggressive approaches to enforcement, which they argue put innocent bystanders at risk. Recent figures show a dramatic increase in immigration arrests in New York State, with a reported 68% rise from 922 arrests in May to 1,552 in July.
While ICE officials have claimed that agents were unaware of the child’s presence in the vehicle at the time of the shooting, they described Belgal as having attempted to evade their efforts by recklessly ramming two of their vehicles. The Department of Homeland Security Secretary noted that Belgal’s actions “weaponized his vehicle” against ICE officers, further complicating the narrative surrounding the incident.
As legal proceedings continue, stakeholders are left to grapple with the implications this shooting has on community relations and the operational methods of immigration enforcement agencies in urban areas. The case has rekindled discussions regarding the balance between immigration enforcement and public safety, particularly within communities that have seen rising tensions over local and national immigration policies.
