At a Glance
- ICE officer Jonathan Ross shot 37-year-old Renee Good in the head at close range on January 7
- Neighbors knew Ross as a self-described “botanist,” not a federal agent
- Bystander video shows Ross firing through Good’s driver-side window as she tried to drive away
- Why it matters: The killing has ignited local outrage and contradicts federal claims of self-defense
A Minneapolis suburb neighbor of ICE agent Jonathan Ross says she met him once at a 2020 garage party where he claimed to be a botanist, not a federal officer. “He said he worked with plants… so he lied about what he did,” she told News Of Losangeles. The woman, who lives in Chaska, Minnesota, added that Ross kept to himself and no one on the block knew he was an ICE agent until he was identified as the shooter who killed Renee Good on January 7.
The Shooting on Portland Avenue
Surveillance and bystander footage show Ross, masked, approaching Good’s car near the intersection where George Floyd was murdered in 2020. After a verbal exchange, Ross and another ICE officer yelled for Good to exit the vehicle.
Key moments captured on video:
- Good: “That’s fine, dude. I’m not mad at you.”
- Second officer: “Get out of the f—ing car!”
- Good’s wife, Becca Good, filming: “Drive, baby, drive – drive!”
- Ross fires multiple shots through the driver-side window
- Car crashes into parked vehicles
Law-enforcement sources confirmed to News Of Losangeles that Good suffered gunshot wounds to the head and died at a hospital.
Contrasting Narratives
Within hours, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem labeled the incident a “domestic act of terrorism,” asserting Good tried to run over agents. Vice President JD Vance posted on X that the video shows the agent “fired in self-defense.”
Local leaders push back:
- Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey: “That is bulls—… an agent recklessly using power.”
- Minnesota Governor Tim Walz: “Don’t believe this propaganda machine.”
Fallout in the Neighborhood
The Chaska neighbor says that after the shooting, officers removed items from Ross’ home and a patrol car has monitored the street. “It really creeps me out that those are my neighbors,” she said, noting residents have largely stayed quiet. “You don’t want to start fights… but it’s just really hard to process.”
Community members erected a memorial for Good on January 8. Good, a mother of three, becomes the latest flashpoint in debates over federal use-of-force policies in Minnesota.
Key Takeaways
- Ross presented himself as a civilian botanist to neighbors, heightening shock after the killing
- Video evidence undercuts federal claims that agents’ lives were endangered
- Local officials accuse the administration of spinning the narrative before investigations conclude
- Patrol presence remains outside Ross’ home as tensions simmer
News Of Losangeles has reached out to Ross for comment; no response has been reported.
