At a Glance
- Renee Good was fatally shot by ICE agent Jonathan Ross on January 7, 2026.
- The incident sparked immediate protests, a vigil, and a federal investigation.
- The case raises questions about ICE’s use of force and the role of federal agencies in local communities.
Why it matters: The shooting has ignited a national debate over federal law-enforcement practices and the safety of civilians during large-scale operations.
Renee Good was a 37-year-old mother of three who was on a routine drive when federal agents on Portland Ave. in Minneapolis opened fire on her vehicle. The shooting, which occurred at 9:37 a.m. on January 7, 2026, left Good dead and left her partner, Becca Good, in a state of profound grief.
The Day of the Incident
Renee had just dropped her 6-year-old son at school before she and Becca were driving a maroon Honda Pilot. A detour suggested by Becca led them into a heavily policed area where ICE agents were already present. Within minutes, ICE agent Jonathan Ross-who joined the agency in 2015 and had served as a firearms instructor and a member of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force-shot Good three times from behind the wheel.
Witnesses reported hearing three gunshots and hearing the car’s occupants scream. One caller to 911 described seeing a woman shot at close range and noted that the agent fired because the woman wouldn’t open her car door. The first emergency call came in at 9:39 a.m., just two minutes after the shooting.
Emergency Response
By 9:42 a.m., a fire vehicle arrived. Responders found Good unresponsive in her car, with multiple gunshot wounds: two on the right side of her chest, one on her left forearm, and one on her left head. Blood was seen flowing from her left ear, and her pupils were dilated.
The incident report indicates that Good was not breathing and had no pulse. Life-saving measures-including chest compressions-were attempted, but she remained unresponsive. The ambulance transported her to the hospital, arriving at around 10:30 a.m., roughly an hour after the shooting.
Becca, who had stayed in the SUV, was later taken to the hospital after witnessing her partner’s death. She later described the scene: “We stopped to support our neighbors. We had whistles. They had guns.”
Investigation and Agency Statements
By 10:03 a.m., Ross was no longer on the scene and had been transported to the federal building. A DHS spokesperson said on January 14 that Ross suffered internal bleeding in his torso after being taken to the hospital, but declined to provide further details. An FBI representative added that no additional information was available at that time.
The investigation has been contentious. Federal officials say the FBI will lead the inquiry, citing Minnesota authorities’ lack of jurisdiction. State Attorney General Keith Ellison has called for a “fair, transparent investigation of all of the facts.”
The incident report itself notes that investigators are still “figuring out who is in charge.” It also states that Ross has not been charged with a crime, yet use-of-force experts have questioned his actions. Former Salt Lake City police chief Chris Burbank said, “In order to use deadly force, your life or someone else’s life must be in immediate danger,” and does not believe Good posed such a risk.
Community Reaction
Within hours of the shooting, protesters gathered near the scene. The incident report described “agitators” and noted repeated calls for backup. Around 11 a.m., Border Patrol agents deployed pepper spray. Roughly two hours after the shooting, DHS released a statement accusing Good of “committing an act of domestic terrorism.” The agency claimed the ICE officer relied on his training and “fired defensive shots” at a vehicle that was “trying to run over” agents.
Good’s family rejected the characterization outright. Her mother Donna, father Tim Ganger, and four siblings told News Of Los Angeles that Good “was a beautiful light of our family and brought joy to anyone she met.” They added that she “was relentlessly hopeful and optimistic which was contagious.”
A vigil was set up at the location where Good was shot. Thousands of flowers, signs, and paintings gathered on January 10, a day after the shooting. Signs read “REMEMBER,” “RENEE GOOD. ICE BAD,” and “F- ICE.” Protesters chanted against the agency and the Trump administration.
Personal Impact
Becca Good, who had been the partner of the victim, expressed her grief in a statement on January 9: “I am now left to raise our son and to continue teaching him, as Renee believed, that there are people building a better world for him.” She also recounted how she collapsed into grief on the steps of a neighbor’s house and later was reunited with her dog.
Neighbors described the scene: a blood-soaked airbag, stuffed animals in the glove compartment, and a bullet hole in the windshield. James, a neighbor and former firefighter, said, “There was so much blood around the airbag. The white airbag was red. There was so much blood.”
The physical evidence remained embedded in the block, with blood still present under the vigil.
Ongoing Questions
The case raises several unresolved issues:
- Why did the ICE agent fire at Good if she was not posing an immediate threat?
- What protocols governed the federal operation that day?
- How will the investigation address the conflicting accounts from federal and local officials?
The community remains on edge as the investigation continues. The incident underscores the broader tensions between federal law-enforcement agencies and local populations, especially in cities with a history of public grief and dissent.
Key Takeaway: The shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent has sparked a national conversation about the use of force by federal agencies and the protection of civilians during large-scale operations. The investigation is ongoing, and the community continues to mourn while demanding answers.
