An ICE agent shot and wounded a Dominican man during an arrest in New York City on Thursday, triggering protests and drawing sharp criticism from local leaders over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.The shooting took place in the Marble Hill neighbourhood of Manhattan, near the Bronx, during what the department of homeland security (DHS) described as a “targeted enforcement operation”. The man survived and was being treated at a hospital, the agency said, but it did not explain what led the officer to open fire.According to preliminary information cited by CNN, agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations branch encountered a person they were targeting shortly after 4 pm. DHS said agents were attempting to arrest a Dominican man with a prior criminal conviction and a history of other arrests when an officer discharged his weapon.Early reporting also indicated that there was a five-year-old child in the same car. The child was physically unharmed, mayor Mamdani shared later in a statement.The agency described the man as a “criminal illegal alien”, saying he had a previous conviction for grand larceny. It said New York police had arrested him in December 2023 before he was released, blaming what it called “reckless sanctuary policies” in Democrat-led cities. DHS did not provide further details about the circumstances of Thursday’s shooting.The incident sparked anger among New York officials and residents, with demonstrators gathering at the scene and chanting, “ICE off our streets now!”
Mamdani slams ICE
Mayor Zohran Mamdani called the shooting “unconscionable and incredibly serious” and said he had called president Donald Trump over the incident. Mamdani later said he would demand an end to ICE enforcement operations in the city. A spokesperson for the mayor said Trump and Mamdani had not spoken as of Thursday evening.“Our thoughts are with the injured New Yorker and his family tonight. We are praying for his recovery,” Mamdani said. “Get ICE out of our neighborhoods.”New York governor Kathy Hochul, who said she had been briefed on the shooting, called on federal authorities to explain what happened.“We expect federal authorities to provide a full and transparent accounting of the circumstances surrounding this incident. New Yorkers deserve to know exactly what happened and why,” she said.DHS defended its enforcement operations, saying officers were often required to make arrests in public spaces and unpredictable, dangerous environments when people it considers dangerous are released from custody. The department said its agents provided immediate aid to the injured man.The New York police department said its officers were not involved in the shooting. It called for a mobilisation after the incident to manage crowds and handle evidence at the scene.
Witnesses share details of shooting
Witnesses described hearing several gunshots. Pedro Almaraz, who works at a nearby restaurant, told AP that he heard about three or four shots and saw a man on the ground surrounded by officers wearing face masks and vests marked with Department of Homeland Security branding.Videos and photographs shared on social media showed a man sitting on the ground with his hands behind his back after the shooting. Another video appeared to show New York police officers lifting an injured man and carrying him into a police vehicle. A damaged car was also seen blocking the road, with small holes in two of its windows.The presence of armed federal officers also raised concerns among some residents about their identification. Alfred Silva, 38, said one officer was wearing a construction safety vest while carrying a rifle.“We need to have better transparency to understand who we’re dealing with, because anybody in the street can just put on a vest and pull out a gun and claim to be ICE,” he said.“I feel like regardless if you’re left or right, we should understand that this shouldn’t be happening.”
