Investigating the Minneapolis ICE Shooting: Complex Layers of Justification

Tue Jan 13 2026 15:21:45 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A federal investigation is underway into the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, with varied accounts and video evidence complicating the narrative.

The investigation into the shooting of Renee Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis raises significant questions about the justification for the use of deadly force. Witness accounts and video footage present contrasting interpretations of the events, with local officials arguing Good was not a threat, while federal authorities maintain the agent acted in self-defense. Political pressures and differing accounts may impact the investigation's integrity as both state and federal officials navigate this contentious case.

US investigators will face a host of thorny questions in determining whether the fatal shooting of a woman by a federal agent in Minneapolis last week was justified, as local and national officials recount drastically different accounts of an incident that sparked nationwide protests.

Several videos have emerged showing US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent Jonathan Ross firing at and killing Renee Good, 37, while she was behind the wheel of her burgundy Honda in a residential neighborhood of the northern city.

President Donald Trump and his administration have described Good as a domestic terrorist who was trying to run over the ICE agent, while state officials have said Good, a mother of three, was trying to leave the scene.

Former law enforcement officials told the BBC that a review of the incident could plausibly find the agent justified in using deadly force because he believed Good was a threat. But they said Trump's officials' strong public statements in support of Ross in the immediate aftermath of the shooting could complicate the investigation.

Local and federal officials have both cited video footage of the incident to support their interpretations of the event. Multiple angles show ICE agents approaching a car in the middle of the street and asking the driver—Good—to get out. One of the agents then tugs at the driver's side door handle. As the vehicle begins to move forward, Ross, who was also filming, points and shoots at Good. The car turns away from the officers and crashes on the side of the road.

Federal officials maintain the videos show Good was attempting to drive her car into the officer, justifying Ross's use of deadly force. However, local officials argue the footage demonstrates that Good posed no immediate threat, as she was turning away from the agent.

Determining the justification for Ross's actions under the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) policy on deadly force will be critical. Investigators need to assess under what circumstances ICE agents are permitted to use lethal measures and whether Ross's perceptions of imminent threat warranted such a response.

Minnesota officials have expressed concern about the potential bias in the federal investigation, given the political context surrounding the shooting. The incident, drawing national attention and protests against ICE, underscores the broader issues of police conduct and federal authority in local communities.