In Minneapolis, Minnesota, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot a 37-year-old woman who, according to authorities, attempted to run him over with her vehicle. However, local authorities categorically rejected this interpretation based on video recordings of the incident.
The Immigration Service characterized the victim's actions as "domestic terrorism," while the patrol officers defended their actions, calling them self-defense.
Who is Rene Nicole Good?
According to CBS, the deceased woman is poet Rene Good, originally from Minnesota and a U.S. citizen.
Details of the incident
The shooting occurred during protests against ICE, local media reported. The Department of Homeland Security labeled the attempt to run over the officers as "acts of domestic terrorism."
The agency's statement clarified that the ICE officer opened fire in self-defense, fearing for his life and the lives of others.
President Donald Trump stated that the deceased "consciously" attempted to run over the ICE officer. He also noted that, according to the video, it was surprising that the agent survived and accused radicals of constantly threatening law enforcement officers.
In the eyewitness video, there is no visible attempt to run over the officer. One of the ICE officers approaches a car that is blocking the road and tries to open the door, after which a second officer, positioned in front of it, jumps back and fires.
What happened before the ICE officers approached Good's vehicle remains unclear.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey sharply criticized the Trump administration's statements about the intentional attempt to run over the officer. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz also refuted the federal authorities' versions, stating that "one should not believe this propaganda machine" and promised a full investigation.
Many Democrats, including former Vice President Kamala Harris and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, also made statements. Harris characterized the Trump administration's statements as "gaslighting."
Rene Good's personal life
Rene's mother, Donna Genger, told the Minnesota Star Tribune that her daughter did not participate in the protests. Good's ex-husband also confirmed that she was taking her 6-year-old son to school that day and was returning home with her partner.
Witnesses of the incident reported that a man covered in blood emerged from the vehicle.
Rene Good left behind three children: two teenagers from her first marriage and a 6-year-old son from her second. According to her father, Tim Genger, the youngest child became a full orphan after the death of his father in 2023.
Rene graduated from a university in Virginia and described herself on social media as a "poet, writer, wife, and mother."
The Department of Homeland Security claims that there are injured ICE officers who are reportedly "fully recovering."
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, who visited Minneapolis, spoke about the events leading up to the shooting. She stated that the ICE officers were returning to the office after an operation when their vehicle got stuck in the snow, and protesters blocked their movement.
Nielsen claims that the woman who was shot "turned her vehicle into a weapon" and attempted to run over the officers with the intent to "kill" them. She added that one of the agents had previously experienced a similar attack.
The Secretary also reported that an FBI investigation has begun and that ICE operations will continue.
Governor Walz accused the Trump administration of creating an atmosphere of fear among immigrants and stated that the state does not need additional help from Washington, adding that the Minnesota National Guard could be deployed if necessary.
Protests
Protests against the actions of the immigration service and the Trump administration took place in Minneapolis and other Minnesota cities on Wednesday and Thursday. ICE officers used pepper spray and dispersed protesters, as reported by local CBS.
Following Rene Good's death, new actions began in the state. Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets, many with signs saying "ICE, get out of Minneapolis."
On Thursday, protests began early in the morning outside the federal building housing the immigration court. Demonstrators chanted "Shame!" and "Resign!" During the action, there were clashes with ICE officers, who reportedly used pepper spray and tear gas again.
Source: bbc.com
