AOC Demands Investigation into Bronx ICE Shooting, Criticizes Target
New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez calls for an independent probe into the ICE shooting of a suspected gang member and criticizes Target for its role.
New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has called for a “full and independent investigation” into the shooting of a suspected gang member by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in the Bronx. She also criticized the retail giant Target for allegedly providing its property for federal immigration operations.
Protests have erupted following the Thursday afternoon shooting of a suspected Trinitarios gang member, identified by the NYPD as Oscar Belgal, 28. Belgal was shot in the neck in his vehicle on Marble Hill Avenue while a child, believed to be his son, was in the backseat. Belgal is expected to survive and is receiving treatment.
“ICE’s already unwelcome presence in our city has been growing more escalatory and dangerous by the day,” Ocasio-Cortez said in a statement. “Today’s shooting is a grave development that requires a swift and immediate response to protect the safety of all New Yorkers.” She further demanded the “full and immediate release of all body camera footage of the incident.”
Ocasio-Cortez accused Target of allowing its properties to be used as staging sites for ICE, stating, “In addition, the Target Corporation must stop offering their Bronx properties as private staging sites for ICE, in compliance with requests from New York officials.” She added, “Target opening up large, active retail parking lots for paramilitary activity is unacceptable and places the entire community at risk.” A Target store is located approximately half a mile from the shooting site.
The congresswoman also reiterated calls to abolish ICE, describing the agency as a “rogue, lawless paramilitary and surveillance agency” that “does not belong in New York City and it should not exist in the United States of America.”
According to the Department of Homeland Security, Belgal has previous convictions for grand larceny and multiple prior arrests for assault, robbery, and weapons and drug possession. Federal authorities are investigating whether Belgal is connected to a migrant moped gang implicated in a previous attack on an off-duty border patrol agent.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani also expressed strong condemnation of the incident, calling for the abolition of ICE and stating he had contacted the President to demand an end to ICE enforcement actions in the city.