Protests Spread After ICE Agent Shoots Man in New York
A man was injured after being shot by an agent of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during an arrest operation in New York on Thursday (8 October).
The incident took place in the Marble Hill area of Manhattan at about 4pm local time. It has intensified debate over ICE operations, which are seen as having expanded under Donald Trump’s administration.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) said its officers were not involved in the shooting. The victim was reported to be conscious and receiving treatment at a nearby hospital.
In recent months, the Trump administration has stepped up ICE operations in several major US cities to arrest and deport people it considers to be in the country illegally.
Bystander footage shows moments after incident
Pedro Almaraz, an employee at a restaurant near the scene, said he heard three or four gunshots before seeing a man lying in the road.
He said the victim was surrounded by several officers wearing vests and insignia of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Videos and photographs circulated on social media showed a man sitting in the road with his hands behind his back shortly after the shooting.
Another video showed NYPD officers lifting a man who appeared to be injured into a police vehicle.
A damaged car could be seen blocking the road near the scene. Some footage also showed agents wearing ICE identification, including one carrying a rifle.
Residents protest, demand ICE end operations
Soon after the shooting, demonstrators gathered at the scene, chanting for ICE to stop operating in their neighbourhood.
The crowd later moved towards the hospital where the victim was being treated. Some protesters briefly blocked access to the hospital.
Tensions rose when police put up barriers to ensure ambulances and other vehicles could get through. Some demonstrators reportedly pushed barricades and threw water bottles at officers.
Police made several arrests during the protest.
New York officials condemn shooting
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani strongly condemned the incident and said he had contacted President Trump.
Mamdani said a five-year-old child was inside a vehicle when the shooting took place. The child was reportedly not physically injured.
In a post on X, Mamdani described the incident as “extremely serious and unacceptable”.
He said he would ask Trump to halt all ICE enforcement operations in New York. “I will not stand idly by while ICE agents terrorise our communities,” he wrote.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul also called on the federal government to provide a transparent account of the circumstances and reasons behind the incident.
“New Yorkers deserve to know what actually happened and why it happened,” she said.
Several local politicians who visited the scene also condemned the shooting. New York City Council member Carmen De La Rosa said she was “shocked and angry” about the incident.
Federal government says victim had criminal record
In a post on X, DHS confirmed that an “ICE officer fired a weapon” while attempting to arrest an “illegal criminal alien from the Dominican Republic” with alleged links to the Trinitarios gang.
DHS said the man had previously been convicted of grand larceny and had been arrested “multiple times” on allegations including assault, robbery, drug possession and weapons possession.
DHS said agents provided first aid immediately after the man was injured.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was also reported to be at the scene assisting with the investigation.
Another controversy for immigration agencies
Shootings involving ICE or US Border Patrol officers have again sparked controversy during President Donald Trump’s second term.
The debate has centred particularly on the use of lethal force by officers and the training and oversight systems for agents.
In January, an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Good, a 37-year-old US citizen, during an operation in Minneapolis. The incident prompted a wave of large demonstrations not only in the city but also in other parts of the United States.
Later that month, another US citizen, Alex Pretti, died after a confrontation with two Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Minneapolis.