Who Was Renee Nicole Good? The Poet Killed in the Minneapolis ICE Shooting

Renee Nicole Good identified by mother as woman fatally shot by ICE agent in Minneapolis

Minneapolis is reeling after federal agents shot and killed Renee Nicole Good, 37, during what the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) described as a major immigration enforcement operation in the Twin Cities.

Good was a “writer and poet,” and was previously married to a comedian who died in 2023, also at age 37.

Read more: Is Timmy Ray Macklin Jr. the ICE Agent Who Shot Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis?

Renee Nicole Good was identified as the woman fatally shot by ICE in Minneapolis on Jan. 7

Good’s death, captured partly on bystander video and followed by sharply conflicting official statements, has become the flashpoint in a fast-moving story about federal power, local pushback, and what really happened on a snowy street in south Minneapolis.

Video: Dramatic footage shows ICE agent in Minneapolis shoot, kill woman as feds say she tried to run down officer with car

Who was Renee Nicole Good?

Good was identified by her mother, Donna Ganger, who told local media that her daughter lived in the Twin Cities with her partner and was “one of the kindest” people she’d ever known. Ganger said her daughter was not involved in protest activity, describing her as compassionate and devoted to caring for others.

Renee was one of the kindest people I’ve ever known,” he mother said. “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.”

Public officials have offered limited biographical detail so far. What is clear is that Good’s name surfaced quickly because the shooting unfolded in daylight, in a residential area, with multiple witnesses and phones recording.

U.S. Sen. Tina Smith said the victim was a U.S. citizen. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara also said there was no indication she was the target of any local law-enforcement action.

Read more: New Videos, Photos Shows ICE Agent Fatally Shoots Woman in Minneapolis

Renee Nicole Good, 37—originally from Colorado, lived in MN with her partner (reportedly wife), pride supporte

What happened in the Minneapolis ICE shooting?

The shooting occurred near East 34th Street and Portland Avenue, during a tense morning that drew crowds and later protests. DHS said an ICE officer fired “defensive shots” after a driver tried to use a vehicle against agents. DHS went further, calling the incident an act of “domestic terrorism,” language that instantly inflamed public outrage and raised the stakes for investigators.

But eyewitnesses and video accounts described a more chaotic, confusing scene.

According to witness statements reported by local outlets, Good’s SUV was stopped in the roadway as agents approached. In one widely shared video, an agent appears to pull at the driver-side door while the vehicle reverses. As the SUV then moves forward, another agent can be seen raising a firearm and firing multiple rounds. The vehicle continues a short distance before crashing.

Several witnesses said they heard agents giving conflicting commands to the driver, a detail now central to questions about whether the use of deadly force was necessary or avoidable.

The political blowback: Frey and Walz vs. DHS

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey publicly rejected the federal account, saying the “self-defense” framing didn’t match what he saw in video. Governor Tim Walz echoed the demand for answers and said Minnesota did not need “further help from the federal government,” warning the operation was creating fear and instability.

DHS, for its part, has said the ICE presence will continue. President Donald Trump also weighed in, defending ICE and arguing the climate around agents has become increasingly hostile.

What’s new: investigations and what’s still unknown

As of early Thursday, key developments include:

• Joint investigations are underway, involving the FBI and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, according to local and national reporting.

• Officials have not publicly released the ICE agent’s name or detailed findings, including ballistic information, body-worn camera status (if any), or a full timeline of commands given to the driver.

• The broader enforcement action remains active. DHS has said roughly 2,000 federal agents and officers are part of what it calls its largest immigration operation, tied in part to fraud allegations in the region.

The central unanswered question is the simplest one: Was the agent in immediate danger when shots were fired? Video angles are limited, and the moments before the SUV began moving are still not fully documented publicly.

Why this case is drawing national attention

This isn’t only about one tragic death. It’s also about:

• Federal immigration enforcement tactics in a major U.S. city

• The use of “domestic terrorism” language in a civilian shooting

• A widening gap between local leaders and federal agencies on public safety

• The speed at which phone video can challenge official narratives

For many Americans, the story has a familiar, unsettling pattern: an agency claims self-defense, witnesses say the opposite, and the public waits for investigators to resolve what cameras only partly captured.

FAQs

1) Was Renee Nicole Good armed?

Authorities have not publicly said she was armed. Reports describe her inside a vehicle when she was shot.

2) Was Renee Nicole Good the target of an ICE operation?

Minneapolis police leadership indicated there was no evidence she was the target of any law-enforcement action.

3) Why did DHS call it “domestic terrorism”?

DHS claimed a vehicle was used as a weapon against agents. Local officials and witnesses dispute whether the video supports that claim.

4) Who is investigating the shooting?

The FBI and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension are involved, per reported statements from officials.

5) Where did it happen?

Near East 34th Street and Portland Avenue in south Minneapolis.