Quick Read
- An ICE officer fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Good, a U.S. citizen and legal observer, in south Minneapolis.
- Local leaders, including Gov. Walz and Mayor Frey, vehemently dispute the DHS narrative, which claimed Good ‘weaponized her vehicle’ in an ‘act of domestic terrorism’.
- Witness accounts and social media videos contradict the federal agency’s official statement.
- The shooting occurred amidst an influx of 2,000 federal agents in the Twin Cities, sparking widespread calls for ICE to leave Minneapolis.
- The FBI and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension are jointly investigating the incident.
Minneapolis, a city still grappling with the echoes of past tragedies, once again found itself at a boiling point this Wednesday as a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer fatally shot a woman during an operation in south Minneapolis. The victim, identified as 37-year-old Renee Good, a U.S. citizen and legal observer of federal actions, instantly became the focal point of a rapidly escalating confrontation between federal authorities and local government, sparking outrage and renewed calls for accountability.
The incident unfolded at East 34th Street and Portland Avenue, an area that has historically been a nexus of community activity and, at times, tension. Witnesses recounted a chaotic scene that began around 9:30 a.m. with whistles sounding to alert neighbors to ICE’s presence. They described seeing a Honda Pilot blocked by multiple federal agents, one of whom attempted to open the driver’s side door. The motorist, later identified as Good, then put her vehicle into reverse before shifting into drive. Moments later, witnesses heard three shots fired. The Honda traveled a short distance further before crashing into another vehicle, then a light pole, coming to a final, tragic stop.
A Morning of Chaos: Conflicting Narratives Emerge
The immediate aftermath of the shooting was marked by a stark and deeply troubling divergence in narratives between federal agencies and local officials. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) quickly characterized Good’s actions as an “act of domestic terrorism.” Tricia McLaughlin, Homeland Security’s assistant secretary for public affairs, issued a statement claiming the victim was “one of these violent rioters” who “weaponized her vehicle, attempting to run over our law enforcement officers in an attempt to kill them.” This portrayal painted a picture of an officer acting in self-defense against a lethal threat.
However, this federal account was almost immediately and vehemently disputed by local leaders and witness testimonies. Videos posted to social media, widely circulated and viewed, appeared to corroborate witness accounts, not the DHS’s official statement. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, after reviewing the footage, did not mince words, calling the federal agency’s narrative “bulls**t.” Minnesota Governor Tim Walz echoed this sentiment, urging the public, “Don’t believe this propaganda machine.” These strong condemnations from the highest levels of local government highlighted the profound distrust and anger simmering beneath the surface.
U.S. Senator Tina Smith confirmed that Renee Good was a U.S. citizen, a detail that further complicated the federal government’s justification for the use of deadly force during an immigration enforcement operation. City leaders also clarified that Good was not a target for an ICE-related arrest but was present as a legal observer of federal actions, adding another layer of controversy to an already explosive situation.
Local Outcry and Federal Backlash: Calls for Accountability
The shooting ignited a firestorm of protest and political condemnation, with local leaders demanding not only a thorough investigation but also the immediate withdrawal of federal agents from Minneapolis. Governor Walz, visibly angered, called for ICE to leave the city, stating unequivocally, “We do not need any further help from the federal government. To Donald Trump and Kristi Noem: You’ve done enough.” He emphasized that “There is nothing more important than Minnesotans’ safety” and issued a warning order to the state’s National Guard, underscoring the seriousness of the situation. Walz urged peaceful protest but vowed his administration would “stop at nothing to seek accountability and justice.”
Mayor Jacob Frey was equally forceful, telling ICE directly, “get the f*** out of Minneapolis.” He rejected the federal self-defense narrative as “garbage” and “not true,” asserting, “This was an agent recklessly using power that resulted in somebody dying. Getting killed.” Frey accused federal agents of “causing chaos and distrust” rather than providing safety. Minneapolis City Council member Jason Chavez, representing the ward where the shooting occurred, went further, labeling the incident “murder by ICE officials.” He called for the ICE officer to be “arrested and fired,” criticizing ICE as “untrained, unmanageable and not being able to deescalate a situation.” Chavez encouraged community patrols, stating, “We need community patrols on our streets, preventing the kidnapping of our neighbors from these inhumane ICE agents that are only here to tear our families apart.”
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison echoed these concerns, stating that President Trump’s decision to send thousands of federal agents to Minnesota was “causing serious harm and spreading terror” and was a “causal factor” in the tragic death. Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar and Senator Tina Smith both issued statements demanding that “ICE must stop terrorizing our communities and leave our city.” Jaylani Hussein, leader of the Minnesota chapter of the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN), directly accused DHS of “lying” about the shooting, asserting that “The truth will come out, and the public must be reminded in this moment that no one is above the law. No one. No ICE. No one is above the law.”
The local law enforcement community also expressed concerns. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara revealed that he had feared weeks earlier that the influx of federal agents would lead to a “tragedy” due to the emotional nature of the issue and the way operations were carried out. He confirmed that Renee Good was shot in the head and that “there is nothing to indicate that this woman was the target of any law enforcement investigation or activity.” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty emphasized the need for a “local, transparent investigation,” promising to “use every available lever” to ensure it.
A Pattern of Escalation? Broader Context and Investigations
The fatal shooting of Renee Good did not occur in a vacuum. It happened amid a significant influx of 2,000 federal law enforcement members into the Twin Cities metro area, ostensibly targeting “large-scale fraud schemes” following claims made by right-wing influencers and statements from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and FBI Director Kash Patel. This federal deployment had already been a point of contention, with local leaders like Mayor Frey describing it as “political theater” designed to cause “chaos and terrorizing people.”
The incident also drew chilling parallels to other recent events. Just last month in St. Paul, a federal agent fired their weapon after being hit by a vehicle during a traffic stop involving an undocumented immigrant. More significantly, the Minneapolis shooting strikingly echoed an October incident in Chicago where Marimar Martinez, a 30-year-old teaching assistant, was shot five times by a Border Patrol agent during a clash with community members. In that case, federal prosecutors initially labeled Martinez a “domestic terrorist” who had “ambushed” and “rammed” agents. However, charges against her were later dismissed with prejudice after security camera and bodycam footage emerged, which her defense lawyers argued “undermined the official narrative.” This precedent deeply concerns Minneapolis officials, who see a pattern of federal agencies issuing swift, inflammatory statements that are later contradicted by evidence.
The Department of Homeland Security’s policy on deadly force, dated February 6, 2023, outlines guidelines for its use, including against fleeing subjects. However, the application of this policy in Minneapolis is now under intense scrutiny. The FBI and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension have jointly launched an investigation into the shooting, a critical step toward uncovering the full truth. The involvement of both federal and state agencies, with the strong insistence of local officials for transparency, suggests a complex and potentially protracted legal and political battle ahead.
The tragic death of Renee Good in Minneapolis has laid bare a profound crisis of trust and accountability between federal immigration enforcement and local communities. The stark contrast between official federal statements and eyewitness accounts, often supported by video evidence, underscores the urgent need for independent and transparent investigations. As federal agents continue to operate within local jurisdictions, incidents like these threaten to further erode public confidence, ignite civil unrest, and raise fundamental questions about the balance of power and the sanctity of individual rights in the face of perceived federal overreach.