Family And Neighbors Mourn Woman Who Was Shot By ICE Agent And Had Made Minneapolis Home
MINNEAPOLIS — Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three and U.S. citizen, was fatally shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer while driving her vehicle in Minneapolis, just after dropping off her youngest child at school.
As Trump administration officials described Good as a domestic terrorist who tried to run over agents with her Honda Pilot, her loved ones and community members grieved the loss of a woman they knew as compassionate, devoted, and far removed from any criminal activity.
Good, born in Colorado, had recently moved to Minneapolis from Kansas City, Missouri, with her wife and 6-year-old son. The family lived on a peaceful street lined with older homes, some adorned with pride flags and lingering holiday decorations. By the day after the shooting, residents expressed fatigue with media attention, with one home displaying a sign reading “NO MEDIA INQUIRES” and “JUSTICE FOR RENEE.”
Good had no criminal record beyond a minor traffic violation. On her social media profiles, she presented herself as a poet, writer, wife, and mother, sharing posts about her life in Minneapolis, complete with a pride emoji, alongside interests in tattoos, hairstyles, and home decor. A Pinterest photo captured her smiling warmly while holding a young child.
Her former husband, speaking anonymously to protect their children, emphasized that Good was not involved in activism or protests. He said she was simply driving home when confronted by ICE agents on a snowy road.
Local leaders and protesters challenged the administration’s account. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey dismissed the self-defense claim as “garbage,” citing bystander videos showing an officer approaching her car, attempting to open the door, and another firing shots as she edged forward. The encounter lasted under 10 seconds.
In post-shooting footage, a woman identified as Good’s wife was heard crying near the vehicle, exclaiming, “That’s my wife, I don’t know what to do!”
A makeshift memorial soon formed at the site, featuring flowers, a handmade cross, and burning barrels for warmth as dozens gathered despite freezing rain.
Good, a devoted Christian who participated in youth missions and sang in choirs, studied creative writing at Old Dominion University in Virginia, where she earned a prize in 2020. Her former professor, Kent Wascom, recalled her as supportive and outwardly focused in her writing.
She leaves behind a 15-year-old daughter, a 12-year-old son from her first marriage, and her young child from a later one. She had worked as a dental assistant and at a credit union but was primarily a stay-at-home mother recently.
Her mother, Donna Ganger, described her to the Minnesota Star Tribune as one of the kindest people, compassionate and caring throughout her life.