A disturbing incident in the Bronx has raised questions about the actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents after a 20-year-old man, Jeury Concepcion, claimed he was mistakenly tackled and detained, resulting in a head injury that required stitches.
The incident took place on May 6, when Concepcion, who was 19 at the time, was walking down a street in the Norwood section of the Bronx. According to Concepcion, ICE agents approached him with guns drawn and violently threw him to the ground without identifying themselves. “They just grabbed me and threw me on the floor and started hurting me,” Concepcion told NBC New York.
Mistaken Identity and Injury
Eyewitnesses recorded video footage showing Concepcion being handcuffed and led into a vehicle, visibly bleeding from a head wound. Concepcion later recounted that while in the vehicle, an ICE agent asked for his phone and ID, at which point the agent realized they had detained the wrong person. “He told me he’s sorry, that he [was] confusing me with somebody else and that it would never happen again,” Concepcion said.
After apologizing, the agents reportedly dropped Concepcion off at an unfamiliar park, leaving him alone. Concepcion’s grandmother, Ivelisse Garcia Santana, said she received a call from him after the incident. She took him to a local hospital, where he received multiple stitches for his head injury. “He had never been through something like this,” she told CBS News in Spanish, adding that Concepcion was a lifelong resident of the Bronx.
Calls for Investigation
The incident has sparked outrage, with New York Rep. Ritchie Torres calling for a federal investigation. Torres reviewed video footage from the incident and another involving ICE agents in the Bronx and wrote a letter requesting an inquiry into what he described as “grotesque actions” by ICE officers.
He highlighted the troubling details of the video, including the fact that ICE agents had followed Concepcion and his friends, who were en route to a haircut. Torres condemned the use of force, including the agent pointing a firearm at the group, and pointed out that Concepcion sustained visible injuries, including scratches and a gash on his head.
“I urge you to open an investigation into these incidents,” Torres wrote, adding that the events showcased “unjust detainment” based on mistaken identity.
ICE’s Response
In response, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a statement, clarifying that ICE did not arrest Concepcion, asserting that their operations are highly targeted. According to DHS, the individual detained was approached during a “targeted enforcement operation” and initially became “combative” and “refused to identify himself.” The department said ICE agents temporarily detained Concepcion for safety reasons due to the presence of a large crowd of “anti-ICE agitators.” After questioning, they claimed he was “promptly released.”
DHS emphasized that their law enforcement operations are carefully planned and that they know who they are targeting ahead of time. The spokesperson denied that U.S. citizens are mistakenly arrested, asserting that the operation had been based on a description of the individual near the target’s residence.
Conclusion
This incident has raised concerns about the conduct of ICE agents and the treatment of individuals during enforcement operations. Concepcion’s family and Rep. Torres continue to push for a thorough investigation into the actions of the officers involved. As the case progresses, questions remain about accountability and the oversight of such operations.
