The main suspect of Saturday night’s shooting against a border patrol agent out of service in a Manhattan park is an “undocumented immigrant,” as confirmed by the Department of National Security (DHS). This revelation led Mayor Eric Adams to demand on Sunday that he and other “violent migrants” in the city are processed “quickly and forcefully.”
The shooting occurred shortly before midnight on July 19 at Fort Washington Park, at Alto Manhattan. There, the suspect – identified as Miguel Mora, 21 years old and a native of the Dominican Republic – shot the agent in the face during what the police believe was an attempt to rob badly.
The police commissioner, Jessica Tisch, reported on Sunday that the agent, whose identity has not been revealed, responded to the attack and managed to hurt Mora in the groin.
“The officer realized that they were assaulting him and took out his service weapon in self -defense. The aggressor shot first and an exchange of shooting occurred,” Tisch explained. “The agent received impacts on the forearm and face. Everything was recorded on surveillance video, where it is also seen that the aggressor was injured.”
The National Security Department published a blurred video of the incident, in which two people are seen in a red scooter approaching two others, including the agent, in a hill inside the park. In the images you can see the flash of the shot when both face.
Officers of the Precinct 33 went to the park, just below the Washington Bridge, after receiving a 911 call that warned about a shot man. Upon arriving, they found the victim – a 42 -year -old man – with gunshot wounds in the face and arm. One of the bullets entered the cheek, according to sources close to the case.
Paramedics transferred him to Harlem Hospital, where he remains stable and is expected to survive.
According to the police, Mora fled injured in the riot. At 12:18 am on Sunday, he arrived at Bronxcare hospital with wounds compatible with the shooting. The authorities keep it in medical custody and anticipate that it will be arrested in the next few hours.
The National Security official, Tricia McLaughlin, said on the X network that Mora had illegally entered the country. Tisch confirmed at a press conference on July 20 that Mora “entered 2023 by Arizona” and has a long criminal record in New York.
“This individual already had two previous arrests for domestic violence in New York, in addition to an active order for not appearing to a judicial hearing. It was also sought by a robbery in December 2024 and an aggression with injuries in January 2025, both cases in the Bronx. It is currently in custody at the Lincoln hospital,” Tisch explained.
Tisch and Mayor Adams visited the injured agent at the Harlem hospital. After the visit, the mayor publicly criticized what he called “violent asylum applicants.”
“I have said it many times: there are violent migrants and applicants who bring violence and damage the image of those who come to this country to pursue the American dream. We must act quickly and decision against those who come to harm,” said Adams.
The mayor did not specify what he meant with “acting” against these individuals. However, he added that Tom Homan, former head of the border patrol under the Trump administration – with whom he maintains a cordial relationship – will visit the city to meet with the injured agent.
