The plainclothes ICE agent who shot a Dominican immigrant in the Bronx could have been easily mistaken for a mass shooter, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Sunday, criticizing the agency’s tactics as dangerously reckless.
Mamdani’s comments came in an interview with MS NOW, days after an ICE agent shot and wounded Oscar Belgal, a 28-year-old Dominican immigrant who was inside a moving car with his five-year-old son. The shooting on Thursday in Marble Hill sparked protests, and renewed national attention on ICE operations.
“ We are talking about a federal agency that shot at a moving vehicle in broad daylight while its agents were wearing construction vests, using long guns, and left New Yorkers in terror,” Mamdani said.
Video from the incident shows an ICE agent wearing a bright yellow construction vest, holding a long gun while standing near Belgal, who is wounded and in handcuffs.
“ It feels as if you’re almost looking at a mass shooter as opposed to seeing someone who’s purportedly representing a federal agency,” Mamdani added.
Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark is investigating the shooting. Mamdani reiterated his call for ICE to end its operations in New York City.
“ What they have shown time and again is that they view the law as a suggestion,” Mamdani said.
The shooting sparked protests around the city. The NYPD was not involved in the shooting, but faced criticism for how officers dealt with the aftermath.
Video from Thursday showed Darializa Avila Chevalier, the Democratic nominee for the Congressional district that includes Marble Hill, being pushed to the ground by NYPD officers during a protest at the scene. Chevalier has called for Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch to resign or be fired.
“ I’ve made very clear that it is unacceptable to throw any New Yorker to the ground, whether or not they’re about to become a congressperson, and that is not something that I will look to justify,” Mamdani said.
The mayor previously said there are no plans to replace Tisch. During Sunday’s interview he said he and Tisch would conduct a full review of the 24-hour period starting with the shooting, including ICE’s conduct during the incident and the NYPD’s response at the scene and at ensuing protests.
The Trump administration has said the shooting was justified, alleging that Belgal “weaponized his vehicle” against ICE agents. Authorities said Belgal had a 2023 grand larceny conviction and has pleaded not guilty to an ongoing case for allegedly selling drugs.
Mamdani said President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin had asked him to have the NYPD detain Belgal, a request he said he pushed back on.
“ I asked, ‘On what warrant?’ We do not have a warrant for Mr. Bergal in New York City,” Mamdani said.
“ They are making a mockery of what law and order is supposed to be, and then they want us to try and justify their actions for them,” Mamdani added.
Mamdani said he still planned to have talks with the Trump administration in hopes of getting Belgal released from ICE custody.
“ Those two hours over the course of Thursday evening, those negotiations, they were ultimately unsuccessful,” Mamdani said. “However, I would be betraying my duty as the mayor of our city if I did not try at every single juncture with every single person to keep this city safe, and that is something that I will always continue to do.”