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Minneapolis Resident Fatally Shot by ICE Agent; Community and Officials Dispute Federal Account
Minneapolis, MN – A routine Wednesday morning walk turned into a scene of terror for lifelong Minnesota resident Betsy, who witnessed a federal agent fatally shoot a woman in her Powderhorn neighborhood. The victim was later identified as 37-year-old Minneapolis resident Renee Nicole Good. The incident has sparked outrage and a significant dispute between federal authorities and local officials regarding the circumstances of the shooting.
Betsy, who requested her last name not be published, recounted her shock and fear to ABC News, describing herself as being in “a state of terror.” The shooting occurred during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation in the city.
According to Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin, Good was allegedly “attempting to run over our law enforcement officers” with her car when an ICE officer fired the fatal shot. However, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz have strongly challenged this account, stating that video evidence of the incident suggests the agent’s actions were not self-defense. Governor Walz has even issued a “warning order” to prepare the Minnesota National Guard, urging “peaceful resistance” while soldiers train for potential deployment.
Betsy described hearing whistles and horns in her neighborhood, leading her to investigate. She observed a “cluster of vehicles in the middle of the street, including a maroon SUV” at the intersection of East 34th Street and Portland Avenue. Neighbors were whistling in protest at the federal agents present.
She witnessed an agent yelling at the female driver in the SUV. Betsy stated that the driver appeared to be attempting to maneuver her vehicle south on Portland Avenue. “At the time that she just started to accelerate, one of the agents was yelling through her car window,” Betsy said, before seeing the agent fire multiple shots.
Immediately after the shots were fired, the SUV lurched forward about 10 feet, indicating the driver had lost control. Betsy observed Good with her head “lulled back on the driver’s side headrest” and a significant amount of blood. The vehicle then slowly collided with a parked car a few feet in front of Betsy.
Minneapolis police preliminary information indicates that Good was in her car, blocking the road, before the shooting. Police stated, “At some point, a federal law enforcement officer approached her on foot, and the vehicle began to drive off.
At least two shots were fired… the vehicle then crashed on the side of the roadway.” Crucially, police added, “There is nothing to indicate that this woman was the target of any law enforcement investigation or activity.”
Betsy’s account further disputes the federal narrative, claiming that agents were positioned next to and behind the SUV near the driver’s side window when the shots were fired, with no agents in front of the vehicle. The Department of Homeland Security maintains that an agent was in front of the vehicle.
In the immediate aftermath, a neighbor ran to the SUV, opened the driver’s side door, and checked on Good, urging bystanders to call 911. Betsy attempted to call but was unable to connect. Another neighbor, identifying himself as a physician, approached and urged federal agents to help stop the bleeding.
The firsthand experience has deeply impacted Betsy, who noted her community has been on edge due to a reported increase in immigration enforcement activity. “I can tell my nervous system is still in a bit of shock,” she expressed, adding, “I feel a lot of grief, and I feel a lot of anger and I feel fiercely proud of where I’m from and the community that I’m a part of, and I want to do anything I can to support it being healthy and safe.”
Following the shooting, a large crowd gathered in the area, less than a mile from where George Floyd was killed in May 2020. Governor Walz has called for “peaceful resistance” as the community grapples with the tragic incident and conflicting accounts of what transpired.