One of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents present during the shooting of a 28-year-old man in New York City on Thursday has previously been named in lawsuits and court rulings concerning allegations of excessive force and unlawful arrests. ICE supervisor Brenden Cuni was visible in photographs and videos from the scene that circulated on social media after Oscar Belgal was taken to the hospital. DHS later said agents were attempting to apprehend a "criminal illegal alien." NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch told reporters that an ICE agent discharged seven rounds during the encounter, striking Belgal in the neck.
While videos from the scene confirm Cuni was there, it is not clear who fired the shots. Despite this, Cuni's presence has drawn attention because of several recent court cases involving his conduct. Newsweek has contacted DHS for comment via email.
Cuni is a supervisory detention and deportation officer with ICE, according to court filings he signed. In that role, he supervises deportation officers who identify and arrest people alleged to be removable from the United States. An Instagram page linked to the ICE official includes pictures from hunting trips and of various guns and watches.
In May, he shared a picture of a drinking cup with a logo that said "Fugitive Operations NYC." In the background of the photo was a couch that held an array of Tasers. In a March post, Cuni shared a picture of a vest that said "Police Federal Agent" along with an assault rifle and rounds. Cuni's employment history prior to ICE is not readily available.
According to the athletics website for Felician University, a private Catholic university in New Jersey, Cuni played on its baseball team in 2018, and his hometown is listed as New Rochelle, New York. While it remains unclear what role, if any, Cuni played during Thursday's shooting, records show that federal judges and activist groups have questioned his professional conduct a number of times. According to a petition filed to the U.S.
District Court in early 2026, Cuni was present when a 21-year-old man identified as "C.R." was walking home from the Bronx and was stopped by ICE agents. The petition alleges that Cuni caused C.R. to fall face-first onto the pavement, fell on top of him, handcuffed him before repeatedly using a Taser while he was already on the ground and later referred to him as "maldito Mexicano," meaning "f****** Mexican." The petition challenged C.R.'s detention and raised allegations of excessive force. ICE said it "does not deny that they tackled and tased C.R." and cited medical records that said C.R. suffered "bilat superficial injuries on legs from Taser by ICE agents." The filing contains allegations and does not represent findings by a court.
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