Man Shot by ICE in NYC Remains Detained with Bullet Embedded in Neck
Oscar Belgal, 28, was shot by an ICE agent in New York City and is still in federal custody with a bullet lodged in his neck and limited medical care.
On Thursday, ICE agent Marcos Charles shot Oscar Belgal, 28, in the neck during a traffic stop in New York City while Belgal was in a car with his five-year-old child. ICE officials claim Belgal ignored lawful orders, rammed two ICE vehicles and weaponized his car, prompting the use of deadly force; Belgal’s attorneys dispute this narrative and allege excessive force. After the shooting, Belgal was placed in solitary confinement at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where he reports severe neglect, limited food, and inadequate medical attention.
A bullet remains lodged in his neck, his left ear is nearly deaf, and doctors say surgery is urgently needed but has not been scheduled. The case has drawn condemnation from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and State Senator Julia Salazar, while Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin refused to pause ICE enforcement. The incident adds to a series of high-profile ICE shootings since the second Trump administration, raising questions about agency use-of-force policies and detainee rights.
Why it matters
The case highlights concerns over ICE's use of deadly force and the treatment of detainees in federal custody.
In this story
