Turkish Man Arrested Following Confrontation in New York

A Turkish man, Saim Irgi, aged 39, is now in custody after being accused of violently resisting arrest and trying to grab an officer’s Taser during an incident in western New York, as confirmed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

ICE issued a statement on Tuesday detailing that during the altercation, Irgi allegedly struggled with law enforcement while chanting the Arabic phrase “Allah Akbar” (“God is great”). This all unfolded as Buffalo officers were conducting a targeted investigation in Tonawanda and identified a vehicle linked to their search.

After they followed the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop, the driver was recognized as Irgi, a Turkish national who authorities claim is in the U.S. illegally. The statement indicated that, despite multiple commands from the officers to exit the vehicle, Irgi refused to comply.

As officers attempted to apprehend Irgi, one of them drew a Taser and issued several warnings that he would be tased if he continued to resist. According to officials, at one point during the encounter, Irgi grabbed for the officer’s Taser, prompting another officer to deploy his Taser to safely subdue him.

Once subdued, Irgi was transported to the Buffalo Federal Detention Center and was cleared for confinement by medical personnel.

Authorities note that Irgi has a background of criminal offenses dating back to July 2023, when he allegedly crossed the U.S.-Mexico border illegally. He was reportedly first encountered by U.S. Border Patrol agents near Jamul, California.

In March, Irgi faced arrest in Pennsauken, New Jersey, for simple assault—a charge that was later dismissed. The same day, he was also arrested in Philadelphia on charges including strangulation, simple assault, and recklessly endangering another person.

Tammy Marich, acting director of the ICE Buffalo field office, characterized Irgi as a “serious threat to public safety.” She emphasized that officers are committed to diligently apprehending and removing criminal illegal aliens from the U.S.

Following his latest arrest on Monday, Irgi remains in ICE custody while the process for his release is underway.