On January 7, 2026, Renée Good, a 37-year-old American citizen, was fatally shot in Minneapolis, Minnesota, by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent Jonathan Ross.[a] Good was in her car, stopped sideways in the street when Ross drove around it and then walked back and around her vehicle. Other agents approached, and one ordered her to get out of the car while reaching through her open window. Good briefly reversed, then began moving forward and to the right, into the direction of traffic. At this point, Ross was standing at the front-left of the vehicle and fired three shots, killing her, as her vehicle passed him, turning away from him. The killing sparked national protests and multiple investigations.
Analysts disagree as to whether the vehicle struck Ross. Federal law enforcement officials and President Donald Trump defended the shooting, saying the agent had acted in self-defense, that Good had run him over and that the agent was recovering in hospital. Trump administration accounts of the shooting have been contested by eyewitnesses, journalists,[5] and Democratic Party lawmakers, some of whom have called for criminal proceedings against Ross.[6][7] Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota governor Tim Walz called on ICE to end their presence in the city.
The killing sparked immediate protests in Minneapolis and nationwide. Thousands have protested in Minneapolis,[8] in addition to other cities, including Chicago, New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C.[9] Marches in Minneapolis prompted the cancellation of public schools and the deployment of additional law enforcement. Federal agents used tear gas and pepper spray against protesters, and Governor Walz placed the National Guard on standby.
Leaders of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division declined to open a constitutional investigation, prompting the resignation of more than a dozen federal prosecutors in Minneapolis and Washington. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, along with the cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, filed suit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to halt ICE deployments. The incident intensified national debate over immigration enforcement and renewed calls to abolish ICE.
As part of the Trump administration's sweeping deportation efforts during his second presidency, ICE agents have been increasingly involved in violent confrontations with migrants and US citizens as part of the agency's shift to more aggressive immigration enforcement.[10] On January 6, DHS announced what it called the largest immigration enforcement operation ever carried out, sending 2,000 agents to the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area. The surge included Homeland Security Investigations officers focused on suspected fraud. Saint Paul City Council member Molly Coleman described the first day of the action as "unlike any other day we've experienced".[11][12] An eyewitness to the shooting said, "People in our neighborhood have been terrorized by ICE for six weeks."[13] Good's killing was the ninth time in five states and Washington, D.C., that ICE agents had opened fire on people since September 2025.[14]Four other people have been killed during federal deportation operations.[15]
Renée Nicole Macklin Good[b] (April 2, 1988 – January 7, 2026)[21] was a 37-year-old US citizen.[22] She was a writer and poet[23][24] who lived in Minneapolis with her partner[25] and a six-year-old child from her second marriage.[26][23][21] Originally from Colorado Springs, Colorado, she graduated with a degree in English from Old Dominion University.[27][28] According to a neighbor, Good had previously lived in Kansas City, Missouri, before relocating to Canada along with her partner and family following Trump's victory in the 2024 US presidential election. Later, she moved to Minneapolis.[29] Good had been married twice. She and her first husband were married from 2009 to 2016 and had two children; she and her second husband had a single child. He died in 2023 at the age of 36.[28][26][30]
Jonathan Ross
Reflection of Ross on the rear bodywork of Good's car with his phone in his right hand. Prior to the shooting, he switched it to his left hand. Image retouched to account for the body color; the red rectangle is the vehicle's tail light.
Despite his name not being publicly released by federal authorities, the day after the shooting, the Minnesota Star Tribune identified the ICE agent involved as Jonathan Ross[2] through court records.[3][4]
Ross has married twice. His first marriage began shortly before his deployment to Iraq and ended in a divorce filed before he returned from deployment. He remarried in 2015. Ross graduated in 2007 with a degree in business administration from Anderson University.[33]
Ross served in the Indiana National Guard from 2002 to 2008, and was a machine gunner in the Iraq War from 2004 to 2005.[34] He worked for the US Border Patrol from 2007 to 2015.[35] Court documents listed his start date with ICE as 2016.[36] He was in the Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) unit of ICE at the time of the shooting.[37] Ross testified in December that he was "a firearms instructor, an active shooter instructor... a field intelligence officer, and... a member of the SWAT team, the St. Paul Special Response Team".[38]
In press briefings, both DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Vice President JD Vance mentioned that Ross had been injured in a traffic stop six months prior. The incident took place during an attempted arrest in Bloomington, Minnesota, on June 17, 2025,[39][40] when he was dragged 50 yards (45m) by a vehicle after he broke a window and reached in to unlock the door.[2][41][35]
Ross shot Good on Portland Avenue between East 33rd and 34th Streets in the Central neighborhood of Minneapolis, a few blocks from Good's home.[23][43]
Before engaging
Secretary Noem stated that several ICE officers were travelling to their headquarters when their vehicle became stuck in snow, requiring backup. A resident claimed neighbors were standing guard due to ICE activity as students were being dropped off at a dual-language elementary school around the corner.[1] Noem claimed that Good had been "stalking and impeding ICE all day" prior to the 09:37:13 AM shooting.[27] Several Minnesota state officials, including Minnesota attorney general Keith Ellison,[44] and United States representative Ilhan Omar,[45] alleged Good was acting as a legal observer of ICE's activities at the time of the incident.[27][46]
Both Good's mother and ex-husband stated that they did not believe she had previously taken part in protests challenging ICE activities; the latter claimed "she was not an activist".[47][23] According to Good's ex-husband, she had just dropped her son off at school, around seven minutes away by car,[48] and was on her way home "when they came upon a group of ICE agents".[49][50][47]
Pre-shooting
At 09:35:05Central Standard Time (UTC−06:00), Good's Honda Pilot SUV was stopped sideways leftward on the one-way Portland Avenue.[1][51] Ross drove his SUV around, stopped ahead of her, and began recording video.[52] Ross walked toward and around Good's SUV with his face covered while recording her and her rear license plate.[53] Good told him, "That's fine, dude. I'm not mad at you." At 09:36:51, Good's partner Becca stood behind their SUV, also recording on her cell phone, and said, "Show your face. That's OK. We don't change our plates every morning, just so you know. This will be the same plate when you come talk to us later. That's fine. US citizen, former fucking veteran, disabled veteran."[1][54]
Good drove her SUV slightly forward. At 09:36:58, a Ford Explorer entered Portland Avenue, Good waved, apparently to indicate that the Ford should pass in front of her SUV, which it did, along with another vehicle.[1][55] Meanwhile, Ross returned to the right side of Good's SUV and switched his phone from his right hand to his left hand[31] while Becca said: "You wanna come at us? You wanna come at us? I say go get yourself some lunch, big boy." As Good continued waving, a Nissan Titan stopped to the left side of her SUV and two more ICE agents stepped out.[1][54][56]
An eyewitness said ICE agents gave conflicting orders, with one telling Good to drive away while another shouted at her to get out of the SUV.[9][57][dubious–discuss] At 09:37:08, the ICE agents from the Nissan pickup approached Good's SUV as one of them repeatedly ordered her to "get out of the fucking car". Good remained in her vehicle and put the transmission into reverse.[c] A number of events then occurred near-simultaneously:
One of the ICE agents who approached her placed his hands on the driver's door handle and open window of Good's vehicle.[1]
Becca attempted to open the front passenger door.[56]
Ross walked to the front-left of Good's vehicle.[52][54][1]
The agent at the driver's door reached through the open window,[60] and Becca shouted, "Drive, baby, drive!"[52] Good began to drive forward while turning the steering wheel to the right and away from Ross, the correct direction of traffic on the one-way street.[61]
Shooting
Keeping his phone in his left hand, Ross drew his gun, leaned forward, and fired three shots at Good in the departing SUV in under one second, all hitting her, at 09:37:13.[62][63][64] He remained upright on the left of the SUV as it passed.[d] According to separate video analyses by The New York Times and ABC News, Ross fired the first shot at the SUV's windshield and the second and third shots through the driver's side window.[64][1]
Post-shooting
After the shooting, the SUV continued down the street until it crashed into a parked car and light pole.[e] As it did so, the recording made by Ross captured a male voice saying "fucking bitch". According to voice and video analysis by The New York Times, it was Ross speaking.[33][68] Ross approached the crashed SUV and returned to his colleagues. He told other agents to call 911 and remained on scene for more than a minute.[f] A nearby resident said that, after he heard Good's SUV smash, he went outside and saw Becca Good "covered in blood" and sitting in front of the building, crying, "You guys just killed my wife."[70][71][50]
The ICE agents blocked a bystander who attempted to provide medical care. The bystander asked the agents, "Can I check a pulse?" An agent replied, "No, back up now!" The bystander said, "I'm a physician!" An agent replied, "I don't care." Another agent said EMS was on the way, and another said they had their own medics on scene. A woman asked, "Where are they?"[g]The New York Times reported in their analysis of a video of the incident that after the shooting that "several agents, including the agent who opened fire, [got] in their vehicles and [drove] off, apparently altering the active crime scene".[5]
At 09:43:14, six minutes after the first shot was fired, EMS and firefighters arrived, began removing Good from her vehicle, and attempted to render aid.[1]TheNew York Times obtained records showing Good had an irregular pulse when the emergency workers arrived, and a short time later, no pulse.[74] Good had four gunshot wounds: two in the chest, one in the forearm, and one in the head. Her pupils were dilated and blood was pouring from her ear.[75] By 09:45:30, Good was carried to Portland Avenue and 34th Street, where she began receiving CPR, eight minutes after being shot. Seven minutes later, around 09:52, Good was placed into an ambulance.[1] She was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.[13] Good's dog in the back seat was unharmed.[76]
Subsequent events
ICE continued conducting operations in Minneapolis, extending south into neighboring Richfield.[77][78] Romanucci & Blandin, the same firm who represented George Floyd's family after his murder, was hired to represent Good's family and estate. In a statement, the firm said that Good's family does not want her to be "used as a political pawn, but rather as an agent of peace for all".[79]
Investigations
ICE agents at the scene of the shooting
On January 8, the head of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension disclosed that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had revoked their access to evidence of the shooting, reversing an earlier agreement that a joint investigation would be undertaken by the two agencies.[80] Minnesota's Public Safety Commissioner said "it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible" for local investigation to continue "without cooperation from the federal government".[81]
Minneapolis's chief county prosecutor Mary Moriarty said her office was "exploring all options to ensure a state level investigation can continue".[82] On January 9, she and Minnesota attorney general Keith Ellison asked residents to submit, per The Wall Street Journal, "videos, photos and eyewitness accounts of the shooting and the events leading up to it". The officials said it was too early to tell if enough evidence could be gathered to decide whether to charge the shooter.[83]
ICE policy requires agents to wear active body cameras to record enforcement and interactions for review in serious incidents.[54]The Times reported on January 9 that the ICE agents at the scene were equipped with body-worn cameras, but that footage had not yet been released to the public;[56]MPR News reported on January 8 that it was not known whether or not Ross had been wearing one.[84] The Associated Press reported on January 9 that DHS "has not responded to questions about whether the officer who opened fire or any of the others who were on the scene were wearing body cameras".[54]
On January 12, The New York Times reported that in addition to investigating Ross's actions, federal investigators at the FBI and Department of Justice (DOJ) were also tasked with analyzing any connections that Good might have had to activist groups protesting the Trump administration's immigration policies. The DOJ's Civil Rights Division did not open an investigation into whether Good's federal rights had been violated by Ross.[85] This decision by Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon, combined with previous decisions, led to the division's criminal section chief, principal deputy chief, deputy chief, and acting deputy chief, among other prosecutors in the office, resigning on January 13.[86][87] Additionally, former acting US Attorney Joseph H. Thompson and five other federal prosecutors in the District of Minnesota resigned their positions due to "the Justice Department's push to investigate the widow of [Renée Good] and the department's reluctance to investigate the shooter" according to The New York Times.[88] DOJ officials announced that along with criminal investigations into Good's widow, the Department would probe into Walz and Frey for an alleged conspiracy to impede federal officers from carrying out their duties.[89]
Trump appointee Daniel N. Rosen, US Attorney for Minnesota, sent internal email instructing prosecutors to "say nothing" to law enforcement and the media about Good's killing, and that because of its sensitive nature, only his designees could speak to investigators.[90] US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated on Fox News Sunday that the DOJ would not be opening a criminal investigation into Ross for his killing of Good,[89][91][92] claiming it unnecessary as "everybody can watch the videos and see that [Ross] got attacked with a car that was trying to take his life" and added: "[The Department of Justice doesn't] just go out and investigate every time an officer is forced to defend himself against somebody putting his life in danger. We never do."[93]
Aftermath
Vigil in Minneapolis for Renée Good
Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) cancelled class for the remainder of the week, citing safety concerns after the shooting and ICE's use of pepper spray and pepper balls against students (allegedly for interfering with an arrest) at Roosevelt High School.[94][95] Faculty at the high school said that armed ICE officers had handcuffed two members of the staff.[95] On January9, MPS announced it would offer the option of remote learning until February 12.[96]
On January 10, three congressional Democrats were blocked from overseeing an ICE facility near Minneapolis. According to attorneys for congressional Democrats, DHS secretary Kristi Noem had on January 8 reinstated a seven-day waiting period for congressional oversight of immigration detention facilities, restoring a policy which had been ordered blocked for review by a judge in December. The attorneys asked the judge for an emergency hearing on whether the restored policy violated her order.[97]
An online fundraiser campaign started by Good's family was closed on January 9 after reaching more than $1.5 million in donations. The family stated that the money would be placed in a trust fund for the family.[98] In response, a fundraising campaign in support of the shooter was established by Clyde Emmons of Mount Forest, Michigan. As of January 12[update], this campaign raised $375,000.[99] Yet another online fundraiser for Ross, this time with a target of $200,000, initially said the shooting was "the direct result of anti-American traitors like Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (who is Jewish) fanning the flames of resistance".[100]
DHS secretary Kristi Noem claimed shortly after the shooting that the ICE agent who fired the shots had been treated at a hospital having been "hit by the vehicle" and then released.[h][106] A report published by The Guardian the same day said there were "no visible sign in the videos" of injuries to ICE officers in the incident.[12]CNN said that one video from further down the street "seemed to show" Good's SUV "making contact" with him, but that another video from immediately behind Good's SUV showed Ross pointing his pistol at Good while moving outwards from the front of her SUV and to the driver's side.[107] An analysis by The New York Times concluded that while the grainy, low-resolution video from further down the street appeared to show Ross being struck by Good's SUV, the video from behind Good's SUV showed that Ross was not run over and instead crossed to the left of the SUV, opened fire while its wheels were pointed to the right away from him, and continued shooting as she drove past.[5]
The Washington Post said Ross moved out of the way as he fired his first shot, then fired twice from the side of the vehicle, and that the videos do not "clearly show whether the agent is struck", a conclusion also reached by BBC News.[69][108] In their analysis of Ross's video, The Times said, "the front corner of the car clips him, turning him sideways",[56] and The Telegraph said he was "almost knocked off his feet as Good lurches the SUV towards him".[109]The Straits Times, CNN, and the Associated Press reported that Ross's video did not record any contact between him and Good's SUV because his camera jerked up toward the sky.[54][110][52] Noem alleged that Ross was struck and injured by the vehicle. US officials claimed Ross "suffered internal bleeding" to his torso, but did not provide the extent of the bleeding or other details.[111][112] The Star Tribune noted that "there is no documentation in the incident reports that [Ross] required any medical attention on the scene after killing Good."[75]
Anti-ICE protest in Manhattan the day after Good was killed
Good's death occurred about one mile (1.6km) from the location where George Floyd was murdered by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in 2020, which sparked worldwide protests over police brutality and racial justice.[113] Good's killing drew a crowd of hundreds of protesters to the location.[114] Federal law enforcement fired tear gas and pepper spray in Minneapolis, and some protesters threw snowballs. At a press conference, Governor Walz announced he had begun preparing the Minnesota National Guard.[115] By the evening, the crowd at the location where Good was killed grew to thousands, including members of the Minneapolis City Council.[8] Protesters also gathered in many other cities across the country.[i]
On January 8, a crowd of people barricaded the street in Minneapolis where Good was killed to hold a vigil in her memory.[139] City workers removed the barricades shortly after but preserved a memorial established.[140] More protests occurred elsewhere, including in Buffalo, New York;[141]Chapel Hill, North Carolina;[142]Durham, North Carolina;[123]Kansas City, Missouri;[143] and Los Angeles, California.[144] Over 1,000 protests under the banner "ICE Out For Good" were planned for the following weekend, with an estimated tens of thousands marching in Minneapolis on January10.[145] By January 11, city officials said 30 people were arrested at weekend protests and one police officer sustained minor injuries.[146]
Second ICE shooting
According to Minneapolis police and DHS, on January 14, a Venezuelan man was shot in the leg by an ICE agent in Minneapolis following a traffic stop and an attempted arrest. Allegedly, the man resisted the attempted arrest, then two bystanders attacked the ICE agent "with a snow shovel and broom handle"; during the struggle, the unnamed agent shot the initial Venezuelan suspect, then the bystanders helped the man escape to a nearby apartment. Federal agents later arrived and successfully arrested all three suspects.[147][148][149][150] Trump subsequently threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act, used to deploy the US military for domestic law enforcement.[149]
Response
Congressional
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries demanded a criminal investigation. Other Democrats in Congress, such as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, also called for investigations,[7] and Ro Khanna said the agent "needs to be arrested, and he needs to be prosecuted. He needs to be put on trial".[151]Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic National Committee, accused the FBI of a cover-up when it was announced that the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension had their access to the investigation revoked.[152][needs context] Democratic representative Robin Kelly (Illinois) introduced articles of impeachment for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem on January 14, 2026, citing obstruction of congressional oversight of ICE facilities, violations of public trust through warrantless arrests without due process, and of self-dealing for personal benefit.[153] It is unexpected to clear the Republican-controlled House, though it has accrued more than 70 signatures as of January 15. DHS representatives have dismissed the articles of impeachment as "silly", and one anonymous House Democrat said: "There's a frustration with all these impeachments ... It's all performative bullshit."[154]
There have been calls to abolish ICE from various political candidates and representatives to rein in the federal law enforcement agency amid heightened scrutiny;[155] however, some political strategists have warned that this could be a repeat of the political backlash that progressives previously faced with the "defund the police" movement.[156] On January 15, 2026, Democratic Representative Shri Thanedar of Michigan announced plans to introduce the Abolish ICE Act, accusing the agency of being "beyond reform".[157] A YouGov/The Economist poll taken between January 9–12, 2026, indicated that 46% of Americans support abolishing ICE, while 43% oppose it,[158] and the issue is expected to be a centerpiece of the 2026 United States elections.[159]
DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said that an ICE officer "fearing for his life" had shot Good in self-defense after she attempted to run them over in what McLaughlin described as "an act of domestic terrorism".[43] After the release of camera phone footage taken by Ross, McLaughlin said, "The American people can watch this video with their own eyes and ears and judge for themselves."[160][161][162]
DHS secretary Kristi Noem said that Good "attacked [ICE] and those surrounding them and attempted to run them over and ram them with her vehicle. An officer of ours acted quickly and defensively shot to protect himself and the people around him."[59][bettersourceneeded] The next day, Noem announced Operation Salvo, which would increase ICE presence in New York City.[163] Three days later, on January 11, journalist Jake Tapper challenged Noem on her claim that Good had attempted to run over ICE officers, saying: "That's not what happened. We all saw what happened." Noem responded, "It absolutely is what happened."[164]
Leaders in the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department declared that they would not investigate the ICE agent involved in this incident for any constitutional violations, even though it is customary for them to take the lead in such cases. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said publicly that the use of deadly force can sometimes be justified.[165] On January 13, twelve or more federal prosecutors in Minneapolis and Washington, including former acting US Attorney Joseph H. Thompson of the District of Minnesota and members of the Civil Rights Division, resigned their positions over the Department of Justice's actions or lack thereof in investigating this case.[88][87]
ICE agents
Noah Hurowitz of The Intercept said that Federal agents have repeatedly "invoked Good's death" and "referred to civilians learning their lesson" in multiple encounters in Minneapolis.[166] A legal observer arrested by ICE on January 11 reported that "the ICE agent who had pepper sprayed into the vents of my car said 'you guys gotta stop obstructing us, that's why that lesbian bitch is dead.'"[167][168][169]
The exclamation "fucking bitch" on footage of the shooting brought renewed attention to an instance from the previous October of an immigration agent shooting a woman and telling her to "Do something, bitch."[169]
Local officials
Speaking at a press conference on the afternoon of the killing, Minnesota governor Tim Walz called it "the consequences of governance designed to generate fear, headlines and conflict" and added "we do not need any further help from the federal government".[170] Walz announced that he was ordering the state's National Guard to adopt a state of preparedness.[171] In response to DHS statements that Good was weaponizing her SUV to run over an ICE agent, Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey noted that the video footage of the incident did not appear to suggest this, stating: "Having seen the video myself, I want to tell everybody directly that is bullshit" and "To ICE, get the fuck out of Minneapolis."[66] The Minneapolis Police Department activated mutual aid from surrounding jurisdictions and bolstered local law enforcement resources as a precautionary response to any potential civil unrest.[172] Walz proclaimed January 9, 2026, to be "Renee Good Day".[173]
Politico reported that the killing kicked off a series of efforts by state legislators nationwide to limit cooperation with and increase oversight of ICE.[174] On January 12, the Monday following the shooting, Minnesota attorney general Keith Ellison, alongside the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, announced a lawsuit against the DHS, seeking to end the deployment of ICE agents to the state.[175][176][177]
White House
JD Vance talks about Good's death
President Donald Trump described Good as "very disorderly, obstructing and resisting, who then violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE Officer, who seems to have shot her in self defense".[178] He went on to say that he found it "hard to believe [the agent] is alive, but is now recovering in the hospital".[108] The ICE officer in question remained on his feet throughout the entirety of the incident.[179] When reporters with The New York Times questioned his conclusion during an interview in the Oval Office, Trump showed them a video of the incident. The reporters remarked that the video did not show the officer being run over, and he responded, "Well, I—the way I look at it", and then said: "It's a terrible scene, I think it's horrible to watch. No, I hate to see it."[180] On January 15, Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807 to deploy military troops for domestic law enforcement in Minneapolis against the objection of the Minnesota Attorney General.[149]
Vice President JD Vance called Good's death "a tragedy of her own making" and called her "a victim of left-wing ideology".[181] On January 20, Trump spoke about Good and her family and hoped her father remained a "fan" of his despite Good's death.[182]
Public response
On January 9, Rolling Stone reported that various musicians had written and released songs in the 48 hours after the event, listing examples including "Good vs. Ice" by Jesse Welles, "They Tried to Tell Me I Didn't See What I Saw" by Zach Schmidt, "A Song for Renee Good" by Odin Scott Coleman, "Untitled" by Kata, and "Renee" by Caitlin Cook.[183] Writer Jonathan Bernstein remarked: "None are more than two minutes long. But each mourns for Good's life and decries the American tragedy that is her killing."[183] Later reporting on January 14 by Chris Riemenschneider in The Minnesota Star Tribune highlighted Minnesota artists Laamar, Durry, Bathtub Cig, and Jeremy Messersmith for writing songs in response to the killing of Renée Good and the broader context of ICE activities in the state.[184]
During their January 9 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the English pop rock band Duran Duran dedicated their performance of "Ordinary World" to Renée Good.[185][186] Other musical artists including Billie Eilish, Dave Matthews, and Neil Young publicly condemned Immigration and Customs Enforcement following the shooting.[187][188] On January 17, at a concert at the Light of Day Winterfest in New Jersey, musician Bruce Springsteen dedicated the song "The Promised Land" to Renée Good.[189][190][191] Remarking on Good's death, Springsteen said to his audience: "If you believe in the power of law and that no one stands above it, if you stand against heavily-armed masked federal troops invading an American city, using gestapo tactics against our fellow citizens, if you believe you don't deserve to be murdered for exercising your American right to protest, then send a message to this president, as the mayor of the city said: ICE should get the fuck out of Minneapolis."[190]
A poll conducted by YouGov and The Economist of 1722 adult US citizens between January 16 and 19 projected that 29% of Americans say that Good posed a threat to the agents, and that 66% say the shooter should be investigated. 53% say that ICE behaved unprofessionally during the encounter.[192]
Speaking to the Associated Press, criminology professor Geoff Alpert questioned whether there was any law enforcement training which would permit the use of a firearm in one hand while filming with the other. Law professor John P. Gross said that Ross "casually filming" the encounter demonstrated that Good was not perceived as a threat.[54]Washington Post columnist Monica Hesse wrote that Good backed up her car to conduct a multipoint turn on the icy street after waving other motorists ahead to allow space for her to pull onto the street.[193]
Legal experts and former ICE officials interviewed by Politico and The New York Times said that the Trump administration's rush to assign blame, mount partisan attacks, and deny responsibility damaged public trust in ICE and the credibility of any federal investigation.[194][195] Legal analyst Ian Millhiser found it unlikely that the federal government would charge the shooter with a crime, but said it may be possible for state prosecutors to lay homicide charges against him. The previous year, the Supreme Court ruled in Martin v. United States that federal officers are protected from prosecution only to the extent that they acted in a "necessary and proper" fashion in the discharge of their official duties.[196] Similarly, law professor Rachel Moran listed ICE actions in the aftermath of the shooting, such as the use of pepper spray, as possible grounds for assault charges.[197]
It was not immediately clear whether Good was legally obligated to comply with ICE's orders. Legal analysts interviewed by The New York Times said the issue was multifactorial, encompassing the question of whether ICE was engaged in lawful activity, and also whether Good was blocking their cars.[197]
Government policy and statements
DHS policy directives instruct its officers to "avoid intentionally and unreasonably placing themselves in positions in which they have no alternative to using deadly force". ICE directs its officers to use deadly force "only when an officer has probable cause that a detainee poses an imminent danger of death or serious physical injury".[198]The Economist noted that previous DHS self-defense assertions in cases of seemingly excessive force "have been repeatedly debunked", with evidence in federal court showing that "Border Patrol agents involved in such confrontations" in Chicago the previous year "lied under oath and exaggerated the threat from protesters in order to justify their aggression".[199] According to The Atlantic, the incident historically would have been investigated by the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties "to review policies, training, and oversight procedures to try to prevent anything like it from happening again", but the Office was disabled early the previous year along with two other DHS oversight offices.[200]
Militarization of police
TheNew York Times said Ross's career trajectory, which took him from the US war campaign in Iraq, to border patrol in Texas, and then immigration enforcement in Minnesota, was emblematic of a broader effort by the federal government to militarize its police apparatus in the decades after the September 11 attacks.[33]David Wallace-Wells contextualized the shooting as an instance of imperial boomerang, writing: "Here we are, with an Iraq veteran in tactical gear, surrounded by comrades swarming a car partially blocking his way, firing point-blank at its driver. In the immediate aftermath, sympathetic nativists justified the shooting by describing a Minneapolis taken over by Somali refugees, but also by pointing to the victim's divorce and sexuality, the social justice curriculum at her child's elementary school and the obstinateness of liberal white women."[201]
↑At the time of the shooting, Ross worked as an officer under the Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) of ICE, which is the directorate in charge of detentions and deportations. ICE agent is commonly used by English-language speakers and media to refer to ERO officers. Ross was identified by cross-referencing statements made by federal officials concerning a dragging incident the shooter was involved in with court documents.[2] His name had not been released by federal authorities.[3][4]
↑Sources differ on the spelling and composition of her name. Good used the accented form "Renée" in her poetry, social media, and business records.[16][17][18] As of 2023, her legal name was "Renee Nicole Macklin Good".[19] Hospital records obtained by the Associated Press spelled her name as "Renae Macklin-Good".[20]
↑Agents approached Good; one verbally ordered her to exit; Ross moved to front of Good's vehicle.[56][1][51][58][22][59]
↑There is broad sourcing and consensus that Ross stayed upright on his feet throughout the incident as he fired his service weapon.[64][1][58][65]
↑Sources for the SUV moving forward until impacting car and pole.[66][14][59][67]
↑Multiple reliable sources reported on this sequence of events with Ross, the SUV, the 911 request, and the approximate duration they remained on-scene after the shooting.[69][9][57][5]
↑There is broad coverage and reporting of the individual who identified himself as a physician being denied access for emergency medical care of Good.[72][73][5][1]
↑Press conference held by Kristi Noem in Minneapolis, 5:21 p.m., Central Time.[104][105]
↑Santana, Rebecca; Balsamo, Mike (January 6, 2026). "Homeland Security Plans 2,000 Officers in Minnesota for Its 'Largest Immigration Operation Ever'". Associated Press. Archived from the original on January 7, 2026. Retrieved January 6, 2026. The Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday that it launched what it described as the largest immigration enforcement operation ever carried out by the agency — with 2,000 federal agents and officers expected in the Minneapolis area for a crackdown tied in part to allegations of fraud involving Somali residents.
↑Olivia Johnson; Dillon Seckington (January 7, 2026). "SUV involved in Minneapolis ICE shooting registered in Kansas City, Missouri: DOR". FOX4KC. Archived from the original on January 11, 2026. Retrieved January 10, 2026. According to business records from the Missouri Secretary of State, Good has a registered maintenance company in Kansas City, Missouri called 'B.Good Handywork' under the name Renée Nicole Macklin Good. The LLC was filed in the summer of 2024.
12Shapiro, Carolyn (January 15, 2026). "Minnesota Can Prosecute Jonathan Ross—But It May Not Be Easy". Lawfare. The Lawfare Institute. Archived from the original on January 16, 2026. Retrieved January 16, 2026. Did Ross prepare to draw his gun before or after Good's car started moving, and if not, why did he shift his cell phone from his right to his left hand?
↑Giles, Matt; Marchman, Tim (January 8, 2025). "ICE Agent Who Reportedly Shot Renee Good Was a Firearms Trainer, Per Testimony". Wired. Archived from the original on January 9, 2026. Retrieved January 10, 2025. I am a firearms instructor, an active shooter instructor," he testified. "I'm also a field intelligence officer, and I am a member of the SWAT team, the St. Paul Special Response Team.
12Bjornson, Greta (January 8, 2026). "Renee Good Dropped 6-Year-Old Off at School Before Encountering ICE with Partner". Archived from the original on January 9, 2026. Good, 37, was driving back home from school drop-off with her current partner on Wednesday, Jan. 7, when they came upon a group of ICE agents, her ex-husband told The Associated Press. The man, who asked to remain anonymous, said Good and her partner had moved to Minneapolis last year from Kansas City, Mo. Good's ex-husband said that she was not an activist, and had not taken part in protests in the past, to his knowledge.
↑Planas, Roque (January 10, 2026). "Renee Nicole Good shooting casts scrutiny on ICE's use of deadly force". The Guardian. Archived from the original on January 12, 2026. Retrieved January 13, 2026. An officer whose face was covered yelled "get out of the fucking car", and yanked repeatedly on the driver's door, trying to open it. He reached his other hand through the open window, appearing to attempt to unlock the door.
↑Hesse, Monica (January 8, 2026). "I can't stop dissecting the ICE shooting video". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 8, 2026. Retrieved January 14, 2026. the driver, who we now know was named Renee Nicole Good, extends her arm from her window and makes the go-ahead gesture...she is waving her arm forward like, Go around me, go ahead...She doesn't have enough clearance to pull into the street, so she's backing up her car a few feet so she can turn the wheel and get away from the two men yelling at her to get out of the car.
↑"The "Terrorist" Killed by ICE Was a Mum in Her SUV". The Economist. January 8, 2026. Archived from the original on January 11, 2026. Retrieved January 8, 2026. DHS's assertions in the past have been repeatedly debunked. Witness testimony, social-media videos and body-cam footage shown during hearings in federal court in Chicago last year revealed that Border Patrol agents involved in such confrontations lied under oath and exaggerated the threat from protesters in order to justify their aggression
↑Dickerson, Caitlin (January 10, 2026). "How ICE Lost Its Guardrails". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on January 9, 2026. Retrieved January 9, 2026. If the [CRCL] was still functioning... [it] would have spent yesterday opening an investigation... to review policies, training, and oversight procedures to try to prevent anything like it from happening again. But today, the office is effectively dormant... The administration also closed two other offices with mandates to protect the public from misconduct—the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman and the Immigration Detention Ombudsman
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