Grieving relatives are breaking their silence following the release of official reports, specifically challenging the authorities’ assertion that the deceased woman was a danger.
The family of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old wife, mother, and writer, is drowning in sorrow after she was shot dead by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis.
Good, a native of Colorado Springs, was killed only blocks away from the residence she had recently moved into with her spouse.
Widow Covered in Blood Collapses After Violent Shooting
In the chaotic moments immediately following the gunfire, a woman identified as Good’s wife was witnessed in a state of absolute shock. Drenched in blood, she reportedly screamed, “They shot her in the head. I have a 6-year-old in school.” Overcome with panic and guilt, she cried, “I made her come down here, it’s my fault. They just shot my wife.”
Her agonizing screams reverberated through the neighborhood as onlookers stood frozen, horrified by the sudden explosion of violence that ended a life and destroyed a family unit.
(Image Description: A memorial for Renee Nicole Good appears at the site of the ICE-involved shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis on January 7, 2026.)
Mother of Victim Recalls a Gentle Soul
Good’s mother, Donna Ganger, verified her daughter’s identity and offered a touching tribute to who Good was behind the sensational headlines. “Renee was one of the kindest people I’ve ever known,” she stated. “She was extremely compassionate. She’s taken care of people all her life. She was loving, forgiving and affectionate. She was an amazing human being.”
“She was probably terrified,” Ganger said regarding the moments before her daughter’s death. She also firmly clarified that Good was never involved in any organized protests against ICE agents.
A dedicated creative spirit, Good had described herself on social media profiles as a “poet and writer and wife and mom and [expletive] guitar strummer from Colorado; experiencing Minneapolis, MN.”
In 2020, during her creative writing studies at Old Dominion University, she won the school’s undergraduate poetry award for a piece titled “On Learning to Dissect Fetal Pigs.” She also previously co-hosted a podcast with her late second husband, Timmy Ray Macklin Jr., who died in 2023 at the young age of 36.
Grandfather of the Orphaned Child Speaks Up
Timmy Ray Macklin Sr., Good’s former father-in-law, shared his profound grief upon hearing the news. His late son and Good shared a child, now six years old. “There’s nobody else in his life,” he lamented. “I’ll drive. I’ll fly. To come and get my grandchild.”
He also mentioned that Good was the mother of two other children, who are understood to be staying with extended relatives. In the days since the shooting, friends and neighbors have spoken fondly of Good and the life she was establishing in Minneapolis.
Neighbors and Friends Honor Renee as a Light in the Community
Mary Radford, a 27-year-old neighbor, reminisced about seeing Good and her young son outside frequently, often stopping to pet Radford’s Australian shepherd, Hazelnut.
“It’s a beautiful family. They have a son. He’s very sweet. He loves our dog,” Radford said, fighting back tears. “We’re gonna miss seeing them—forever. It is so painful to think about how he’s gonna fare in his life. And I just can’t even imagine what that family is going through.”
(Image Description: A large crowd gathers at a memorial for Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis on January 7, 2026, following the fatal ICE-involved shooting.)
Others shared Radford’s heartbreak. Megan Kocher, who had only recently met Good and her wife, recalled being invited into their home for tea and cookies. “[She] was such a warm and loving mother. This is tragic beyond words,” Kocher posted on social media.
Vigil Challenges the Official Story
During an evening vigil, mourners and community leaders assembled to celebrate Good’s life. Jaylani Hussein, executive director of CAIR-MN, stated, “She was peaceful, she did the right thing.”
Another speaker disputed the official account, asserting that Good was on Portland Avenue on Wednesday simply “to watch the terrorists,” dismissing the idea that she presented a lethal threat.
(Image Description: People attend a vigil in Minneapolis holding signs honoring Renee Nicole Good after she was fatally shot by an ICE agent.)
The killing has sent shockwaves of grief through a family that had just settled into their new home, for a mother taken too early, and for a young boy whose entire world has been shattered.
As the investigation proceeds, the community remains committed to remembering Good not for how she died, but for the creativity, warmth, and compassion she offered to everyone she met. “She died because she loved her neighbors,” Hussein declared—a belief now burned into the hearts of everyone grieving her loss.
(Image Description: A person places a white rose at the scene where Renee Nicole Good was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on January 7, 2026.)
The fatal event took place on January 7, 2026. While officials allege Good was acting in a threatening manner, video footage and witness testimonies suggest a different reality, igniting outrage and demands for justice.
(Image Description: Law enforcement officers respond to the aftermath of a shooting involving an ICE agent near Portland Avenue in Minneapolis in January 2026.)
ICE Operation concludes in Deadly Fire
As reported by KARE 11, the confrontation happened at the junction of Portland Avenue and 34th Street in the Powderhorn Park neighborhood.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), ICE agents were executing “targeted operations” when they were allegedly challenged by individuals trying to intervene.
(Image Description: ICE agents walk near the scene of a fatal shooting involving a federal officer in south Minneapolis on January 7, 2026.)
Tricia McLaughlin, DHS spokesperson and assistant secretary for public affairs, stated that a woman “weaponized her vehicle” and attempted to run down officers. She continued:
“An ICE officer fearing for his life, the lives of his fellow officers and the lives of the public, fired defensive shots, used his training and saved his own life and that of his fellow officers. The alleged perpetrator was hit and is deceased. Thankfully, the ICE officers who were hurt are expected to make full recoveries.”
Video footage circulating online depicts a burgundy SUV hemmed in by law enforcement. Gunfire erupts before the SUV crashes into a light pole. A bullet hole pierces the driver’s side windshield. Two parked vehicles appear to have been hit during the chaos.
A witness told the news station that the woman appeared to be fleeing from the agents when she was gunned down. The area was quickly swarmed by police and horrified residents.
(Image Description: Scene of an ICE-involved shooting in south Minneapolis, where a burgundy SUV with a bullet hole in the windshield is surrounded by agents.)
Minnesota State Senator Omar Fateh posted on X that he received reports indicating federal agents prevented a doctor at the scene from performing lifesaving CPR.
Fateh joined Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, city council members, and faith leaders at the scene shortly after the incident.
(Image Description: Mayor Jacob Frey and other city officials speak at the scene of the ICE-involved shooting in Minneapolis.)
The shooting of Good is not the only federal operation currently under the microscope. In a separate event last year (2025), armed ICE agents executed a controversial detention in Massachusetts.
As previously reported, Bruna Caroline Ferreira, a Brazilian-born woman and the mother of Karoline Leavitt’s nephew, was arrested outside Boston in a high-intensity ICE operation on November 12, 2025.
Footage of the arrest was released weeks later, and as it spread across the internet, many questioned if the motive was strictly immigration enforcement or something more personal.
(Image Description: Netizen comment about the footage of Bruna Ferreira’s ICE detention released on December 3, 2025.)
Tactical Takedown Captured on Video
The video, published by TMZ on December 3, started like any mundane day. A silver sedan was driving toward a condo parking lot exit in Revere, Massachusetts, around 12:30 p.m.
Suddenly, the scene turned chaotic. Multiple SUVs swerved into frame, trapping the car. Agents jumped out with guns drawn, pointing them at the driver.
Ferreira exited and, offering no resistance, was instantly handcuffed and taken away. An agent entered her car, and shortly after, the convoy departed.
Online Fury and Bold Theories
With anxiety already peaking regarding immigration policies, netizens quickly unleashed a torrent of speculation, with blame being assigned rapidly.
“That was a Set up. I don’t care what nobody say,” one user stated. “Set up for sure. They knew what car she was in,” another concurred.
Then came the specific accusations.
“Her brother wanted full custody and mom out of the country!” one claimed. Another commenter didn’t mince words, alleging, “Karoline called them on her own nephew’s mother smh.” “Mm I’m sure she called so her brother could keep custody,” another agreed.
One user exploded in anger, writing, “THEY CALLED ON HER. DISGUSTING!”
A Legal Battle Unfolding
While online theories multiplied, Ferreira was facing a severe legal reality. A DHS representative told reporters last month that she had been in the U.S. illegally since June 1999, allegedly overstaying a tourist visa. The agency also cited a prior arrest for battery.
However, Ferreira’s lawyer, Todd Pomerleau, immediately pushed back.
He maintained that Ferreira had no criminal record and was not in the country illegally, as she was a DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) recipient, a program protecting those brought to the U.S. as children.
(Image Description: A young Bruna Ferreira in a picture with family during a birthday party, from a fundraiser created by Graziela Dos Santos Rodrigues.)
The issue arose because Ferreira was unable to renew her status during President Donald Trump’s first term, when executive actions and legal challenges threatened to end DACA.
Though the Supreme Court later invalidated those efforts, some recipients, including Ferreira, were left vulnerable to the current administration’s enforcement.
Pomerleau stated Ferreira was actively seeking legal citizenship, but she remains detained at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center—over 1,500 miles from her arrest location and 80 miles from Baton Rouge.
The Custody Complication
According to CNN sources, Leavitt’s nephew has always lived full-time with his father in New Hampshire. Ferreira and Leavitt’s brother, who were once engaged, shared joint custody of the 11-year-old.
Pomerleau noted that Ferreira was en route to pick up her son when she was arrested. He added that she reportedly hadn’t spoken to Leavitt in years, complicating the family dynamic further.
Meanwhile, Leavitt’s brother told WMUR, a CNN affiliate, that his son had a fair relationship with Ferreira, but they hadn’t seen each other since the detention. He stated his only priority is his son’s well-being.
At this time, we extend our deepest condolences to Donna Ganger, Good’s wife, her son, her other children, and her entire circle of family, friends, and neighbors as they grieve this immense loss. We hope for peace and healing during this time. RIP, dear Good.