A man was shot in the neck by a federal immigration agent during an arrest operation in New York’s Marble Hill neighborhood. A 5-year-old child was also in his vehicle but was not injured.
The incident took place at around 4 p.m. local time on Thursday, October 8. ICE agents were attempting to arrest a citizen of the Dominican Republic when one of them used his service weapon and wounded him.
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The injured man was transported to NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital, where he received medical treatment.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the man was in the United States illegally and had a criminal record. Federal authorities have also linked him to the Trinitarios gang, although these claims have not been independently verified.
According to DHS, the man was arrested by New York police on December 7, 2023, but was released several days later. The department claimed that Trinitarios was also connected to an incident last year in which members of the gang shot and wounded a Customs and Border Protection agent.
The circumstances surrounding the use of the weapon have sparked strong reactions, particularly because the child was in the car at the time of the operation.
New York Mayor Zoran Mamdani called the incident unacceptable and said he had spoken with U.S. President Donald Trump to ask him to halt ICE operations in the city.
“The agents surrounded him while he was inside his car with a 5-year-old child before shooting several times,” Mamdani said. He added that, based on the initial information, the child had not been injured.
Mamdani also said he would not remain passive in the face of the actions of federal agents, which, he said, were sowing fear in local communities.
“When we speak, I will ask him to end all immigration enforcement operations carried out by ICE in our city,” he said.
After the shooting, around 300 people gathered outside the hospital where the injured man was being treated, protesting the federal agent’s use of the weapon.
The gathering turned into clashes with New York police officers who were in the area. Protesters called for ICE to leave the city and chanted: “We want ICE off our streets. No justice, no peace.”
Slogans against the Trump administration’s immigration policies were also heard during the protest. At the time of reporting, there was no complete information about possible arrests or the extent of the clashes.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul called for the circumstances of the incident to be made fully transparent. Meanwhile, organizations defending immigrants’ rights condemned the use of armed force.
The New York Immigration Coalition called for an immediate and public investigation, as well as the release of footage from the agents’ body cameras. The organization demanded accountability if disproportionate force was found to have been used.
The FBI has also joined the investigation and sent a team to collect and review evidence. The New York Police Department clarified that its officers did not participate in the ICE operation during which the man was wounded.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions between local authorities and the federal government over immigration policies. According to a city document, from January 20, 2025, to March 10, 2026, ICE agents carried out 5,567 arrests in the New York area.
The increase in the agency’s operations has led to repeated protests by immigrant groups and local officials, who oppose the way the arrests are being conducted.
