Minneapolis Grieves After Fatal ICE Shooting

Minneapolis residents are challenging the federal account after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation ended in tragedy. On January 7, 2025, an ICE officer fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good. A federal officer was also injured, intensifying tensions in the city.

Just hours after the incident, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem defended the ICE agent, drawing immediate criticism from community members.

DHS Presents Its Version

Speaking at Fort Snelling, Noem said ICE agents were trying to free a government vehicle stuck in the snow around 10:30 a.m. in south Minneapolis. She claimed a crowd surrounded the agents, describing them as a “mob of agitators.”

Noem stated that Good remained in her vehicle and refused repeated orders to exit. According to the DHS account, she “weaponized her vehicle” and tried to strike an officer. The ICE agent then fired, acting in self-defense. The officer, reportedly hit by Good’s vehicle, was treated at a hospital and released the same day.

Noem called the event “preventable” but also labeled Good’s actions “an act of domestic terrorism.” She cited other vehicle-related attacks on federal officers that day, including three in the Twin Cities, and noted that the agent had been injured during an anti-ICE protest in June.

Trump Responds

Former President Donald Trump addressed the shooting on Truth Social. He called the incident “horrible” and described Good as acting “violently, willfully, and viciously.” He accused the Radical Left of threatening law enforcement and ICE officers daily.

Mayor Frey Criticizes ICE

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey sharply rejected the federal account. He called for ICE agents to leave the city, stating their presence created harm rather than safety.

Frey dismissed the DHS claim that the shooting was self-defense as “garbage” and accused ICE of causing “dysfunction and chaos” in the community.

Expert Analysis

Former FBI agent and CNN correspondent Josh Campbell reviewed bystander footage. He noted that just before shots were fired, the vehicle’s front wheels turned, suggesting movement toward the right—an observation that raised questions about the official account.

Community Mourns Renee Good

That evening, a vigil honored Good. Speakers described her as a caring, peaceful neighbor who stood up for others.

Jaylani Hussein, CAIR-MN executive director, said, “She was peaceful. She did the right thing. She died because she loved her neighbors.”

Another speaker disputed Noem’s claim that Good acted as a “domestic terrorist,” saying she had gone to Portland Avenue to observe, not to harm, federal agents.

A Viral Moment

A viral video showed Good’s distraught wife covered in blood near the crash site, sobbing. A GoFundMe campaign, organized by Mattie Weiss, seeks support for Good’s family. The page describes her as “pure sunshine, pure love” and emphasizes the devastating loss to her loved ones.

ICE Operation Ends in Deadly Gunfire

The shooting occurred at 34th Street and Portland Avenue in Powderhorn Park. DHS said ICE agents were conducting “targeted operations” when individuals interfered.

A spokesperson said the woman “weaponized her vehicle” and tried to run over officers. The ICE agent fired in self-defense. Video footage shows a burgundy SUV with a bullet hole in the windshield and two parked cars struck.

Witnesses reported that Good appeared to flee from ICE agents before being shot. Law enforcement quickly secured the area. Minnesota State Senator Omar Fateh claimed that federal agents prevented a doctor from providing CPR.

Victim Identified

Good was a Minneapolis resident, a poet, writer, wife, mother, and LGBTQ+ advocate originally from Colorado. She earned recognition for her poetry at Old Dominion University in 2020 and had settled in Minneapolis with her family.

Her mother, Donna Ganger, expressed heartbreak, emphasizing that Good had no involvement with protests or confrontations. “She was extremely compassionate. She’s taken care of people all her life,” Ganger said.

Good’s young son and her extended family now face the sudden loss. Her former husband passed away in 2023, leaving her son with limited family support.

Neighbors Remember

Neighbors gathered to mourn. Mary Radford, who lived next door, described the Good family as kind and close-knit. She remembered Good’s young son playing outside and her friendly dog. Radford said, “We’re gonna miss seeing them—forever. It’s painful to think about how he’s going to fare in life.”

The incident has left Minneapolis divided, with residents, officials, and federal authorities presenting sharply different accounts. The city continues to grapple with the immediate aftermath of the fatal shooting and its broader implications for community trust and law enforcement oversight.