Democratic congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier said Saturday that Oscar Belgal’s criminal history did not alter her criticism of the shooting in which an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer wounded him. Chevalier made the remarks during a conversation with Twitch streamer Hasan Piker.
Belgal, 28, is a Dominican Republic national. The Department of Homeland Security says he is in the United States illegally and was the subject of a targeted arrest operation. DHS said he did not comply with officers’ orders.
New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a news conference late Thursday that Belgal moved his vehicle forward during the encounter and an officer fired seven shots, hitting him below his left ear. Tisch also cited two prior arrests, including for robbery and the criminal sale of a controlled substance.
DHS separately said Belgal had a grand larceny conviction and prior arrests involving assault, robbery, drugs and weapons, and alleged ties to the Trinitarios street gang. These accounts were attributed to government authorities in the source report.
Piker asked about Belgal’s record and whether it supported the arrest. Chevalier replied that it did not matter to her assessment, and criticized Tisch for discussing his history rather than condemning the shooting. Piker said even a history of serious violent crimes would not justify the shooting.
An NYPD spokesperson said Tisch was providing a factual update and that the department routinely includes criminal histories in incident briefings when available. The source report said Chevalier’s campaign had not responded to a request for comment.
The New York State Republican Committee criticized Chevalier’s remarks. Its communications director characterized the shooting as a lawful use of force and described Belgal as a gang member; those are partisan claims, not independent findings established in the material provided.
