New York Post
· collected 2026-10-10 · by Josh Christenson, Joe Marino, Amanda Woods, Alex Oliveira
The Dominican Republic native shot by ICE agents in The Bronx was a migrant with an alarming rap sheet — who apparently benefited from New York’s lax bail and sanctuary laws, allowing him to remain on the streets, according to sources and court records.
uncertain
him → shoot → sources
Oscar Belgal, 28, is believed to have entered the US illegally around 2022, robbed someone at gunpoint in Fordham Heights a year later, allegedly sold dangerous drugs within months of his conviction in 2025 and was even allegedly connected to a violent street gang.
uncertain
Belgal → believe → gang
None of that stopped Mayor Zohran Mamdani from referring to Belgal as “a New Yorker” in a raging tribute Thursday against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement — a label some Bronx locals took offense to.
asserted
locals → stop → offense
“I don’t consider him a New Yorker,” fumed Bronx mom Migdalia Martinez, whose 12-year-old son Jacob Freytas was killed in gangland crossfire while riding his bike in July.
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son → consider → July
“The only thing I do consider him as is trash, nothing else but trash.
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I → consider → trash
And I don’t consider New York, my home, as trash,” she told The Post Friday.
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she → consider → Post
Asked if Mamdani was wrong to call Belgal a New Yorker, Martinez said: “The mayor is wrong in many ways — that’s definitely one.”
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that → ask → ways
Martinez’ son was tragically struck by a stray bullet in Mt. Eden, known Trinitarios territory, and authorities said they suspected the vicious gang was involved in the violence.
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gang → strike → violence
US Department of Homeland Security officials have said the same gang was involved in the July 2025 shooting of an off-duty CBP officer at Fort Washington Park — and that they were investigating alleged links to Belgal when they approached him Thursday.
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they → say → him
Security footage showed plainclothes ICE agents rushing Belgal’s parked car in Marble Hill at around 4 p.m. with guns drawn, before he peeled away, and out of the view of the CCTV cameras.
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he → show → cameras
Marcos Charles, the head of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations division, said Belgal “accelerated” at the agents, “smashing” into two of them.
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Belgal → say → them
Federal sources said it’s believed Belgal slipped into the US with a migrant caravan in 2022 without encountering border patrol.
asserted
Belgal → say → patrol
By December 2023, he’d been arrested for the armed robbery a month prior, according to authorities and court records.
uncertain
he → arrest → authorities
Belgal was driving with two people in the backseat along Morris Avenue, when he turned and pointed a gun at them while demanding “give me your jewelry or I will shoot you,” according to the criminal complaint.
uncertain
I → drive → complaint
The victims handed over jewelry and about $500 cash, and Belgal was later caught — but then released without bail pending trial, records showed.
He pleaded guilty to a lesser rap of fourth-degree grand larceny in April 2025, with the deal landing him a mere month in jail and five years probation when he was sentenced in January, officials said.
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officials → hand → January
That brush with the law apparently did little to reform Belgal — just months after his conviction he was arrested again in August 2025, this time for allegedly selling dangerous drugs like fentanyl, cocaine and heroin in a case that remains open.
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that → do → case
Those drug charges were not bail-eligible — meaning Belgal was sprung after his arrest — but prosecutors requested and were granted the highest level of “supervised release,” law enforcement sources said.
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sources → mean → release
But federal sources said detention detainer order was issued for Belgal after his arrest, meaning ICE requested he be handed over to the agency by local authorities — an ask that wasn’t honored.
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that → say → authorities
Mullin said New York’s sanctuary laws — which largely bar local cooperation with federal immigration authorities — prevented them from catching Belgal, and endangered Americans.
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which → say → Americans
“Sanctuary politicians create an environment for criminal activity to thrive, not for American citizens to be safe,” he said.
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he → create → environment
“When you have sanctuary cities and politicians, you endanger the safety of the public.”
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you → have → public
Belgal was back behind bars — this time in federal custody — Friday after an ICE agent shot him in the neck during the attempted arrest where he tried to drive off in his Honda SUV with his 5-year-old son in the backseat.
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he → shoot → backseat
Intense bodycam footage from the NYPD showed cops rushing to the scene and finding ICE agents tending to the wounded Belgal, while his terrified son screamed in the background.
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son → show → background
Seven bullets smashed through the car’s front, side and rear windows, but Belgal survived the injury and was rushed to a hospital.
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Belgal → smash → hospital
It was the second time ICE had attempted to arrest Belgal — the agency tried in September, but officials said he managed to flee and get away.
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he → attempt → September
His shooting sparked widespread outrage from lefty New York pols and anti-ICE protesters, who swarmed NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital, where cops brought Belgal in the aftermath — before he was swept away by the feds in a car.
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he → spark → car
“A New Yorker was shot by ICE agents in Marble Hill,” the mayor told reporters.
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mayor → shoot → reporters
“ICE agents surrounded the man’s vehicle before opening fire.
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agents → surround → fire
They wore construction vests and masks that concealed their faces.
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that → wear → faces
“You are hearing from New Yorkers right now — anguish, pain, anger — at the fact that here in this city, the world’s city, immigrants have to wake up every morning and not know if they can live the lives that they should be able to live,” he fumed.
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he → hear → that
But not every New Yorker shared the mayor’s views — including one of Belgal’s Upper Manhattan neighbors, who answered with a staunch “No” when asked if she considered him a New Yorker.
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him → share → No
That’s one of the reasons I think we should vote blue out,” former neighbor Mora Rodriguez told The Post.
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Rodriguez → ’ → Post
“What’s going on with the legal system, the jail, letting these people go after they have a whole list of convictions.
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they → go → convictions
Why would you let this person out?” said Rodriguez, a longtime and elderly resident of Belgal’s old Inwood building.
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Rodriguez → let → building
We gotta vote red.
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We → got → ?
That’s what I can say to you.”
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I → ’ → you
Belgal was released from the hospital and sent to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn after a court hearing seeking his release Friday.
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Belgal → release → release
His name was bafflingly different across various court documents and agencies — which alternatively listed him as Belgal, Bengal or Bergal.
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which → list → Belgal
Start your day with all you need to know
Morning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more.
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Report → start → news
Mullin said Belgal was being eyed by the feds over the shooting that injured the off-duty CBP officer, claiming he was believed to have “direct or indirect knowledge” of the crime.
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he → say → crime
…and 2 more, not listed.
The Aporia
