MINNEAPOLIS ICE SHOOTING: A 37-year-old woman, Renee Nicole Good, was fatally shot by an ICE agent in South Minneapolis on Jan. 7, 2026.
A fatal shooting involving a federal U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent has ignited a firestorm of protest and a bitter political standoff in Minneapolis. On Wednesday morning, January 7, 2026, an ICE officer shot and killed a 37-year-old woman during an enforcement operation in a residential neighbourhood, just blocks from where George Floyd was killed in 2020.
The incident, which occurred around 9:30 a.m. at Portland Avenue and East 34th Street, has drawn starkly different accounts from federal authorities and local leaders, further straining the relationship between the city and the federal government.
The Incident: Chaos in a Snowy Neighborhood
According to preliminary reports and bystander videos, the shooting unfolded after ICE agents—some wearing masks—blocked a roadway during a targeted immigration surge.
- The Victim: The woman was later identified by family as Renee Nicole Good, 37, originally from Colorado.5 She was reportedly acting as a “legal observer” or was simply caught in the traffic disruption caused by the federal operation.
- The Shooting: Witnesses and video footage show federal agents approaching a dark SUV. As the vehicle began to reverse and then move forward, an agent standing near the front of the car opened fire at close range, striking Good in the head.
- The Crash: Following the gunshots, the vehicle careened off the road and crashed into parked cars.8 Minneapolis police officers arrived shortly after to find Good with life-threatening wounds; she was later pronounced dead at Hennepin County Medical Center.
The Clash of Narratives: “Self-Defense” vs. “Reckless Use of Power”
The shooting has sparked an immediate and heated dispute over the facts of the encounter.
| Source | Narrative | Key Quote |
| Federal Government (DHS/Trump) | Acting in self-defense after the driver “weaponized” the vehicle to run over agents. | “An officer of ours acted quickly and defensively… to protect himself.” – DHS Secretary Kristi Noem |
| Local Officials (Mayor/Governor) | A reckless escalation of force against a driver who was attempting to comply or leave. | “ICE – Get the f** out of Minneapolis. We do not want you here.”* – Mayor Jacob Frey |
| Eyewitnesses | Claim agents gave conflicting orders and shot as the woman tried to turn around. | “He reached across the hood… and shot her in the face.” – Emily Heller, Witness |
Governor Tim Walz has called the incident “totally avoidable” and urged the public to “not believe the propaganda machine,” while President Donald Trump took to social media to defend the agents, labelling the driver’s actions as “domestic terrorism”.
Community Outrage and Protests
By Wednesday evening, hundreds of protesters had gathered at the scene for a vigil that quickly turned into a demonstration against the federal immigration crackdown. Heavily armed federal agents in gas masks reportedly used chemical munitions to disperse crowds as tensions boiled over.
Mayor Frey has warned residents “not to take the bait” of federal escalation while simultaneously demanding an immediate end to ICE operations in the city. Governor Walz has placed the Minnesota National Guard on alert in anticipation of further unrest.
