A woman identified as 37-year-old Renee Good was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in south Minneapolis, triggering protests, clashes with federal agents, and renewed calls for an independent investigation. City and state leaders have challenged the federal government’s public account of what happened, while federal officials have defended the officer’s actions.
The shooting happened at East 34th Street and Portland Avenue, a short distance from where George Floyd was murdered in 2020, according to CBS News Minnesota. Witnesses told WCCO that whistles sounded to alert neighbors about ICE’s presence around 9:30 a.m., and that the encounter centered on a Honda Pilot blocked by multiple federal agents.
What happened on Portland Avenue
Witnesses told WCCO that a federal agent tried to open the driver’s side door of the Honda Pilot, after which the driver reversed and then drove forward. Witnesses said they then heard three shots, and the Honda continued several feet before crashing into another vehicle.
CBS News Minnesota reported that President Donald Trump claimed Good “ran over” an officer, but said the video he shared did not show an officer being run over. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said he had seen videos of the incident and called the federal narrative “bulls**t,” while Gov. Tim Walz also urged the public not to believe what he called a “propaganda machine.”
Who Renee Good was
CBS News Minnesota reported that Good was identified as a U.S. citizen and that city leaders said she was a legal observer of federal actions in the city and not a target for an ICE arrest. The outlet reported she had recently moved to the Twin Cities from the Kansas City area.
In an interview cited by CBS News Minnesota, Good’s father, Timothy Ganger, said the family called her “Ney,” described her as warm and witty, and said she cared deeply about other people. He also said Good had three children and had recently moved to Minneapolis to restart her life after the sudden death of her second husband, and that she was working as a substitute teacher.
CBS News Minnesota also reported that Old Dominion University, where it said Good graduated in December 2020 with an English degree, issued a statement mourning her death. The same report said a GoFundMe set up for Good’s wife and son had raised nearly $450,000 as of early Thursday morning.
Investigation dispute and state response
CBS News Minnesota reported that the FBI is investigating the shooting “exclusively,” and that the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said the FBI “reversed course” after initially describing a joint probe. The BCA said it would no longer have access to case materials, scene evidence, or investigative interviews needed to complete what it called a thorough and independent investigation.
Gov. Tim Walz said Minnesota must be part of the investigation and said it felt “very, very difficult” to expect a fair outcome after the FBI decision. Walz also authorized the Minnesota National Guard “to be staged and ready” and said the state would provide additional law enforcement resources, including 85 members of the Minnesota State Patrol’s Mobile Response Team.
Walz also proclaimed Friday a “Day of Unity” in honor of Renee Good and encouraged a moment of silence at 10 a.m. along with acts of service. Minneapolis leaders urged people to protest peacefully, and the City of Minneapolis said it was concerned the investigation was proceeding without state partners and called for a clear and transparent process that includes state investigating agencies.
Protests, arrests, and school cancellations
CBS News Minnesota reported that protests gathered at the shooting scene and at the Whipple Federal Building, described as ICE’s local headquarters. The report said federal agents used chemical irritants and physical force, and that three demonstrators were arrested on Thursday.
The outlet also reported that Minneapolis Public Schools canceled classes for the remainder of the week “out of an abundance of caution,” including programs such as athletics and adult education. Separately, CBS News Minnesota reported a witness account of federal officers tackling people on Roosevelt High School grounds and using pepper spray or another chemical irritant, with students among those in the crowd.
Federal officials defend actions; leaders trade accusations
CBS News Minnesota reported that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem described the driver’s actions as an “act of domestic terrorism” and said the officer who fired the shots had previously been dragged by a vehicle during an incident in June. The report also said Noem stated the officer was taken to the hospital after the shooting and later released.
CBS News Minnesota reported that Attorney General Pam Bondi posted a warning to protesters that peacefully protesting is protected, but that obstructing or attacking federal law enforcement and damaging federal property are federal crimes. The outlet also reported Vice President JD Vance echoed the DHS characterization of events and criticized those who, in his view, were repeating what he called a “lie” about the incident.
CBS News Minnesota reported that federal sources said the Department of Homeland Security was considering sending hundreds of additional agents to Minneapolis after the shooting and protests. The same report said there were more than 200 Customs and Border Protection agents deployed in the Minneapolis area and that roughly 2,100 ICE officers and agents had been deployed, including 1,500 officers in Enforcement and Removal Operations and 600 agents in Homeland Security Investigations.
