A confrontation outside a New York hospital turned violent on Thursday as police officers and demonstrators struggled following a shooting involving an ICE agent and an illegal alien with a criminal history.
Video captured Democratic Socialist of America congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier falling during the clash.
The protest followed a shooting involving ICE officers in the Marble Hill area earlier that afternoon.
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The suspect, Oscar Belgal, was wounded in the neck during an attempted arrest, with his five-year-old son inside the vehicle.
This is what happens when liberals undermine law and order.
NYC aftermath of a man being shot by ICE Darializa Avila Chevalier (she’s running for congress) is on the front lines and got knocked down as NYPD and protestors shoved and fought over police barricades https://t.co/8oaPzL4jo9— Sami Nathaniel (@NathanielSami) October 9, 2026
The child was unharmed, while Belgal received medical treatment and was later placed in federal custody.
Federal officials say Belgal drove toward officers as he tried to evade arrest, prompting them to fire.
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His lawyers have challenged his detention and called for an investigation into the shooting.
Those competing accounts remain central to the argument over whether the officers’ use of force was justified.
Demonstrators gathered near the hospital where Belgal was taken, and tensions with police escalated Thursday evening.
Avila Chevalier spoke at the protest and called for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be abolished.
She then became involved in a chaotic confrontation as protesters and police pressed against one another.
Video circulated showing the candidate being pushed or knocked down amid the disorder.
Avila Chevalier said an officer shoved her while she was attempting to calm the situation.
Her claim about what she was trying to do reflects her own account of the confrontation.
She also alleged that unmarked law enforcement vehicles struck protesters as officers cleared their path.
The candidate accused the New York Police Department of escalating violence rather than protecting residents.
Those allegations require separate scrutiny from what the brief video alone can establish.
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The New York Police Department was not involved in the earlier shooting, according to Avila Chevalier’s statement.
Its officers were present afterward, managing the crowd as anger over the federal operation intensified.
The distinction matters because the police confrontation and the immigration shooting involved different groups of officers.
Avila Chevalier directed particular criticism at Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch over her description of Belgal’s history.
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She said Tisch sought to justify the shooting by discussing Belgal’s prior encounters with law enforcement.
Past conduct can explain why officers sought an arrest but does not, by itself, resolve whether shooting was warranted.
Questions about that shooting also do not eliminate the need to keep protesters and officers safe.
Avila Chevalier demanded that Tisch step down and that the department’s Strategic Response Group be disbanded.
She also argued that police conduct violated the spirit, if not the letter, of New York’s sanctuary policies.
That is the candidate’s interpretation, and the available report does not establish a legal violation.
The confrontation has political weight because Avila Chevalier is the Democratic nominee in New York’s 13th District.
She defeated longtime Representative Adriano Espaillat in the party primary and is heavily favored in November.
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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani endorsed her candidacy, linking the episode to divisions within his political coalition.
Her call to abolish ICE goes further than a demand to investigate the specific shooting.
It also presents voters with a clear policy position as they consider her congressional bid.
Mediaite reported that her prior social media posts drew controversy during the campaign.
Those posts included harsh statements about former President Joe Biden and the United States.
The earlier remarks do not determine what happened Thursday, but they form part of the candidate’s public record.
For federal officers, the unresolved issue is whether the circumstances justified firing at Belgal’s vehicle, Mediaite reported.
For Avila Chevalier, the challenge is explaining her accusations with evidence beyond a moment of protest video.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
