Renee Nicole Good, the woman whose life was cut short by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, had just dropped off her precious 6-year-old son at school before she was met with a deadly encounter with federal immigration agents. Good, aged 37, was driving back home from the school drop-off with her current partner on Wednesday, January 7th, when they unexpectedly came across a group of ICE agents. Her ex-husband, who chose to remain anonymous, revealed that Good and her partner had recently relocated to Minneapolis from Kansas City, Missouri.
Good's ex-husband insisted that she was not an activist and had not taken part in any protests to his knowledge. Before the fatal shooting, video footage showed her partner frantically filming the approaching ICE agents. After Good was shot, her partner could be seen chasing the vehicle as it crashed into other cars on the street, eventually falling to the ground in tears. "They shot my wife," she wailed. She later added, "I made her come down here; it's my fault."
Good sustained gunshot wounds to the head, as reported by ABC News, citing city officials. She was rushed to a local hospital but was pronounced dead on the same day. Footage of her wrecked car at the scene revealed stuffed animals spilling out of her glove compartment, mere inches away from bloodstained smears that covered the driver's seat airbag.
The Minnesota Star Tribune reported that Good was previously married to Timmy Ray Macklin Jr., who passed away at age 36 in 2023. His father, Timmy Ray Macklin Sr., expressed shock at the news of Good's death and identified his son as the father of Good's 6-year-old child – who has now lost both parents. "There's nobody else in his life," Macklin Sr. said. "I'll drive. I'll fly. To come and get my grandchild."
According to AP, Good's 6-year-old son was from her second marriage. She was also a mother to two older children, a daughter and a son from her first marriage, who are 12 and 15 years old respectively.
Good's mother, Donna Ganger, remembered her as "one of the kindest people I've ever known," while speaking to the Star Tribune. Ganger added, "She was extremely compassionate. She's taken care of people all her life. She was loving, forgiving, and affectionate. She was an amazing human being."
In a statement following Good's death, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claimed that Good had been "stalking and impeding" ICE agents that day and accused her of "domestic terrorism." DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin also alleged in a statement that the ICE agent who shot Good was "fearing for his life, the lives of his fellow law enforcement, and the safety of the public." The agent has since been identified as Jonathan Ross.
In response to DHS describing Good as a "domestic terrorist" and claiming ICE agents acted in self-defense, Ganger said, "That's so stupid. She was probably terrified." She added that her daughter was "not part of anything like that at all," referring to protesters who have been challenging ICE agents.
While federal officials, including President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, have placed blame on Good for the shooting, state and local leaders have interpreted the situation differently. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz reposted a DHS statement and wrote, "I’ve seen the video. Don’t believe this propaganda machine. The state will ensure there is a full, fair, and expeditious investigation to ensure accountability and justice."
Meanwhile, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey promptly demanded that ICE leave his city. "We've dreaded this moment since the early stages of this ICE presence in Minneapolis," Frey said at a press conference on Wednesday. "This was a federal agent recklessly using power that resulted in somebody dying." He then warned ICE, "Get the f--- out of Minneapolis." "We do not want you here," Frey said. "Your stated purpose for being in this city is to create some kind of safety, but you are doing exactly the opposite."
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