ICE Agent Fatally Shoots Minneapolis Mom in ‘Self-Defense’
On January 7, 2026, a tragic and highly controversial incident unfolded in south Minneapolis when a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, mother of three, poet, and writer. The shooting occurred during a large-scale federal immigration enforcement operation amid the Trump administration’s intensified crackdown on illegal immigration, which had deployed thousands of agents to areas including Minnesota.
Good, who had recently moved to Minneapolis with her wife and young son, was described by family and friends as a compassionate, creative individual who loved singing, writing poetry, and caring for others. She was reportedly acting as a legal observer—a volunteer monitoring law enforcement activities—when her vehicle became involved in the encounter near East 34th Street and Portland Avenue.
Federal authorities, including Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and President Donald Trump, have defended the agent’s actions as self-defense. They claim Good “weaponized” her vehicle, attempting to run over officers in what was described as an “act of domestic terrorism.” The agent, later identified as Jonathan E. Ross (a 10-year veteran who had been dragged by a vehicle in a separate incident in June 2025), reportedly feared for his life and fired multiple shots.
However, multiple videos from witnesses, bystanders, and even the agent’s perspective have fueled intense debate and widespread outrage. Footage shows Good’s vehicle initially stopped perpendicular to traffic, then slowly turning and driving away as agents approached. In one clip, she calmly tells an officer, “I’m not mad at you,” moments before shots are fired. Her car then crashes into a pole after she is hit. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called the federal narrative “bullshit” and “garbage,” accusing the agent of “recklessly using power” and demanding ICE leave the city immediately. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and other local officials have echoed these concerns, disputing claims of imminent threat and highlighting apparent discrepancies in the videos.
The incident, occurring less than a mile from the site of George Floyd’s 2020 killing, has sparked protests across Minneapolis and nationwide, with vigils, marches, and calls for “Justice for Renee” and an end to aggressive ICE operations. Schools in the city closed temporarily amid safety fears, and the FBI has taken over the investigation, excluding local authorities from key evidence access—a move criticized as obstructive.
Good’s wife described her as someone “made of sunshine” who radiated kindness, leaving behind a grieving family, including a 6-year-old son. Her death has become a flashpoint in the ongoing national debate over immigration enforcement, use of force by federal agents, and tensions between local sanctuary policies and federal priorities.
As investigations continue, the conflicting accounts and powerful video evidence ensure this case will remain a source of deep division and calls for accountability in 2026.