A 37-year-old woman, Renee Nicole Good, was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent, Jonathan Ross, during an enforcement operation in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 7. The incident has resulted in conflicting accounts from federal and local officials regarding the circumstances of the shooting, a dispute over investigative jurisdiction, and multiple resignations within the U.S. Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. The shooting has also prompted community protests and intensified discussions about federal immigration enforcement policies.
Incident Details and Initial Confrontation
The shooting occurred while Ms. Good was in a maroon SUV, which was reportedly partially obstructing a snowy road in a residential area. According to video footage, an unmarked grey utility vehicle with a flashing light pulled up, and two armed ICE officers approached Ms. Good's stationary vehicle. One officer instructed Ms. Good to "Get out of the car" while attempting to open the driver's side door. Ms. Good's wife, Becca Good, was also present, filming the interaction and making comments to agents.
Ms. Good's car then briefly reversed, after which it moved forward, turning to the right. Agent Ross, who was positioned in front of the vehicle and recording, discharged his weapon three times into the front windscreen of the car. The vehicle continued forward before colliding with two parked cars further down the road. Agent Ross remained standing and was observed walking toward the crashed vehicle after firing. Reports indicate that officers did not immediately provide emergency medical care to Ms. Good, and some officers prevented an individual claiming to be a doctor from approaching her.
Conflicting Official Narratives and Video Interpretation
Immediately following the shooting, federal and local officials presented differing accounts of the incident:
- Federal Officials' Statements: U.S. Vice-President JD Vance, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and President Donald Trump characterized Ms. Good's actions as an attempt to ram agents, describing it as "domestic terrorism." They asserted that Agent Ross acted in self-defense. President Trump referred to Ms. Good as a "professional agitator," and Vice-President Vance described her death as a "tragedy of her own making" and that she was a "victim of left-wing ideology." Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated that multiple ICE officers were injured, though the Minneapolis Police Chief later reported that only Ms. Good was injured at the scene. Vice-President Vance also claimed Agent Ross was "protected by absolute immunity."
- Local and State Officials' Statements: Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz disputed the federal narrative, citing bystander videos. Mayor Frey described the federal government's account as "bulls***" and the officer's use of lethal force as "reckless." Governor Walz stated that officials in power had made "verifiably false, verifiably inaccurate" statements. Minnesota Councilman Jacob referred to the incident as an agent "recklessly using power that resulted in somebody dying." Local officials generally maintained that Ms. Good posed no danger and was attempting to leave the scene. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty countered the immunity claim, stating the ICE officer does not have complete immunity.
Video Evidence Analysis: Multiple videos, including one recorded by Agent Ross's phone, have been released. Analysis of these videos has led to varied interpretations:
- Some analyses suggest the car's tires were turning to the right as it moved forward, not directly towards the agent.
- Videos did not appear to show contact between the car and the officer, who remained standing.
- One analysis stated the officer was minimally brushed by the slow-moving car and maintained balance while firing, with the vehicle appearing to accelerate after Ms. Good was shot.
- Another analysis indicated Agent Ross discharged the final two shots at the driver's side window after the car's front bumper had passed his legs.
- There was no evidence of a riot occurring or Ms. Good being a "violent rioter" or "domestic terrorist" prior to the encounter.
The Victim and Her Background
Renee Nicole Good was a 37-year-old mother of three. She served on the board of the Southside Family Charter School, which has a history of progressive activism. Ms. Good was reportedly at the scene as a legal observer, monitoring government officers during protests or operations. Documents linked to her son's school, reviewed by CNN, detailed nonviolent civil disobedience strategies, including using whistles to alert neighbors to ICE raids and offering "noncooperation training." Legal experts indicated these documents describe common nonviolent protest methods. Ms. Good's wife stated they "stopped to support our neighbors" with whistles.
The Agent Involved
The ICE officer involved was identified as Jonathan Ross. He had reportedly been injured in a previous incident six months prior, sustaining 33 stitches after allegedly being dragged by a vehicle during an encounter. This prior incident may be considered by investigators in assessing his perception of the threat.
Investigation and Jurisdictional Dispute
Initially, Minnesota's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) announced a joint investigation with the FBI. However, the BCA later stated that the FBI "reversed course" and assumed sole control of the probe, excluding local officials. The BCA subsequently withdrew from the investigation, citing an inability to meet investigative standards without complete access to evidence, case materials, or interviews. State Attorney General Keith Ellison expressed concern over the FBI's action.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has pledged a separate state investigation and is pursuing legal action against the federal government regarding ICE deployment in the state. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty reported that state investigators have been denied access to evidence, including Ms. Good's SUV. The case falls under federal jurisdiction due to the involvement of a federal officer. Federal investigators are expected to conduct a comprehensive review, including physical and digital scene reconstruction, witness accounts, and background information on both Ross and Good. They will assess Agent Ross's actions against the Department of Homeland Security's policy on the use of deadly force.
Justice Department Resignations
Multiple career prosecutors within the U.S. Justice Department's Civil Rights Division have resigned following a decision not to initiate a civil rights probe into Ms. Good's shooting. At least six prosecutors, primarily supervisors in the division's criminal investigations section, announced their departure. Sources indicated that while many used an early retirement option, the timing of the Minneapolis events influenced their decision.
The decision not to investigate the shooting as a "color of law" (excessive force) civil rights inquiry was reportedly made by Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon. The investigation is now reportedly being approached as an assault on a federal officer, with Agent Ross considered the victim. Some resignations also stemmed from broader frustrations regarding political leadership's handling of other cases and reassignment of prosecutors. Joe Thompson, a lead prosecutor in a separate federal fraud case, also resigned from the Minneapolis U.S. Attorney's office, reportedly due to objections over the case classification and the refusal to cooperate with state agencies.
The Civil Rights Division has experienced significant staff departures, with other sections collectively losing approximately 75% of their staff since last year. Legal experts have stated that the available video evidence warrants a criminal inquiry into whether Ms. Good's rights were deprived.
Broader Context of Federal Enforcement and Public Response
The shooting occurred amidst the deployment of approximately 2,000 federal officers to the Minneapolis area, described by the Department of Homeland Security as its "largest DHS operation ever." This increased immigration enforcement follows previous comments by President Trump, who criticized Minnesota's large Somali immigrant population—many of whom are U.S. citizens—in the context of fraud convictions related to federal Covid aid distribution. President Trump's administration cited the fraud scandal as a reason for deploying federal agents.
The incident has triggered community grief, anger, and protests in Minneapolis, with schools canceling classes as a precautionary measure. The National Guard was placed on standby. The shooting occurred four blocks from where George Floyd died in 2020. This incident is one of at least nine immigration-enforcement-related shootings since September involving individuals targeted in their vehicles, according to a New York Times report. Calls from Democratic officials for increased oversight, accountability, and restraint from law enforcement have amplified following the Minneapolis shooting. The day after the Minneapolis incident, two individuals were shot by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Portland, Oregon.