37-Year-Old Woman, Renee Nicole Good, Shot Dead by ICE Agent - Tragedy in 30 Photos

A resident who was "caring for her neighbors": These were the words used to describe the woman who died in a confrontation with federal officers this week in Minneapolis.

Renee Nicole Good was shot and killed by an ICE agent on January 7, 2026. She was just blocks from home when the fatal encounter unfolded, a place where she was familiar, loved, and trusted.

Now, what happened in those final moments has torn through the community like wildfire, sparking outrage across the country.

For some, it has reignited fierce debates over immigration enforcement. But for those who knew Renee — her family, her neighbors, and those who witnessed the incident — this is not just about politics.

This is about a devastating loss that should have never happened.

A Devoted Mother, Creative Soul, and Proud American

Good was 37 years old and lived with her partner just a few blocks from where she was killed in Twin Cities, according to her mother, Donna Ganger.

She was, herself, the mother of several children, including a 15-year-old daughter and a 12-year-old son from her first marriage to a man who declined to be named to protect their children. Later, Good welcomed another son with her late second husband, Timmy Ray Macklin Jr. That child is now six years old.

In the days since her death, more details about her life have come to light, and one message continues to ring clear: she was a bright, loving, and moral woman.

Good studied at Old Dominion University in Virginia, focusing on creative writing. Her passion for words led her to win the school's undergraduate poetry prize in 2020 for her piece titled "On Learning to Dissect Fetal Pigs."

She also co-hosted a podcast with her late husband, Macklin Jr., at some point. A small bio from the university's English Department revealed just how immersed she was in her craft. When she wasn't writing, she was always engaging with language and learning more.

"She has movie marathons and makes messy art," the post added.

Though her Instagram account is private, its bio makes her passions clear. It reads, "Poet and writer and wife and mom and [expletive] guitar strummer from Colorado; experiencing Minneapolis, MN."

Above all, there has been another fact has come glaringly into the light: Good was a United States citizen. She was born in Colorado and had previously lived in Colorado Springs before relocating to Minnesota from Kansas City, Missouri.

She had no criminal record and no history of trouble with the law, aside from a traffic ticket.

Online, she was like many other women her age. Her Pinterest profile showed her smiling with her youngest son. Her posts were filled with pins about home décor, tattoos, and hair inspiration.

Her first husband emphasized that Good was never an activist, never an agitator. She was not involved in protests or any form of public unrest. instead, she was a devoted Christian who had even gone on youth missionary trips to Northern Ireland in her younger years.

In addition to writing, she had a passion for singing. She participated in her high school chorus group and later studied vocal performance in college.

Although she had worked as a dental assistant and at a credit union, in recent years, she had poured herself into motherhood, choosing to stay home and raise her children full-time. While completing one of her regular duties as a parent, the unthinkable happened.

A Morning School Drop-Off Turns Into a Fatal Confrontation

On that a snowy Wednesday morning, Good's ordinary routine became a nightmare. According to Politico, she "had just dropped off her 6-year-old son at school Wednesday and was driving home with her current partner when they encountered a group of ICE agents.”

Some residents had already noticed their unusual activity that day. Officers were seen heavily patrolling the neighborhood, particularly near the elementary school just a short distance from Good's home.

Around 9:30 a.m., several people spotted federal vehicles gathered near the 3300 block of Portland Avenue. Multiple SUVs were parked across the middle of the street, drawing attention from concerned neighbors.

Some cautiously approached the area with their phones, unsure of what was going on. While a few stood by and recorded quietly, others began yelling at the agents.

Then, one video captured the senseless tragedy.

Good was inside a dark SUV when one of the agents walked up to the driver's side and grabbed the door handle. Good suddenly threw the car in reverse, pulling back as though she was trying to flee.

At that moment, another agent appeared directly in front of her vehicle. Still, Good pulled forward, appearing to intend to drive straight toward him. Some video angles suggest Good clipped injured him with her car.

In a split-second decision, the officer drew his handgun and fired multiple times directly through the windshield. The bullets struck Good. Her vehicle surged forward, then lost control and crashed further down the block.

In the chaotic aftermath, neighbors and bystanders caught another scene on video. A woman, devastated and crying, sat near the crashed SUV, shouting, "That's my wife, I don't know what to do!"

That woman was later said to be Good's wife who had been in the car. A neighbor who had come outside to investigate tried to comfort her.

"I made her come down here, it's my fault," she said through tears. "They just shot my wife." In another moment caught on camera, she seemingly can be heard saying, "They shot her in the head. I have a 6-year-old in school."

What Bystanders Saw and Heard That Morning

As footage of the fatal shooting spread online, eyewitnesses began speaking out. In an interview with NBC News, local Lynette Reini-Grandell described the scene just moments before Good was shot.

She confirmed that several people were shouting at ICE agents, but what she heard moments later next sent chills down her spine.

"I would say less than 60 seconds after I passed her, I heard these three pops," Reini-Grandell explained. "And then almost immediately, the crash of her hitting that parked car."

When asked whether she noticed any confrontation or behavior that suggested the vehicle or Good posed a threat, Reini-Grandell was blunt.

"No, I didn't even hear anything from the car. I, you know, people on the sidewalks were screaming at the ICE agents like, 'Get out of our neighborhood!' that sort of thing. [...] But no," she affirmed.

Despite this firsthand account, the Department of Homeland Security and President Donald Trump have painted a drastically different picture of what unfolded that morning.

Officials Defend the Shooting While City Leaders Push Back

At a press conference held in Minneapolis, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem made a fiery statement defending the actions of the ICE agent who fired the fatal shots at Good. According to Noem, Good had been "stalking and impeding" ICE agents throughout the morning.

The official who opened fire, she claimed, acted in accordance with his training and fired in order to protect his life and the lives of others. Good, she said, had allegedly used her vehicle as a weapon. Furthermore, the department labeled the incident "an act of domestic terrorism."

On Truth Social, President Donald Trump also weighed in, calling the video of the incident disturbing but offering no sympathy for the victim.

"The woman screaming was, obviously, a professional agitator, and the woman driving the car was very disorderly, obstructing and resisting," he wrote. "Who then violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE Officer, who seems to have shot her in self defense."

He added that the matter is under careful review, and confirmed that the officer involved is recovering in the hospital. Trump then turned his attention to critics, accusing his opposition and others of unfairly targeting law enforcement.

But local officials strongly disputed the federal version of events. They called the accusations unfounded and labeled the federal response "propaganda." Meanwhile, the Minneapolis City Council stood by Good, describing her as someone who was trying to protect her community.

Later, when reporters challenged President Trump about the unclear video footage, he refused to back down. "She behaved horribly," he said. "And then she ran him over."

Loved Ones Recoil in Grief and Disbelief

News of Good's death sent shockwaves through her family and community, with those closest to her struggling to comprehend how such a senseless tragedy could have happened.

Her mother said the family was informed the same morning of the shooting. The manner in which it unfolded left her stunned and devastated. She called the incident "so stupid" and said she feared her daughter must have been terrified in her final moments.

Ganger also flatly denied the allegations made by Secretary Noem, stating that Good was not involved with any of the protestors who had gathered to confront ICE agents that day.

"Renee was one of the kindest people I've ever known," Ganger told the press. "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."

Good's former father-in-law, Timmy Ray Macklin Sr., said he was shocked and heartbroken, and told reporters he would soon be traveling to care for his grandchild.

Megan Kocher, who had only recently met Good and her wife, shared her grief on social media. She recalled how they had tea and cookies at her home while chatting about school.

Despite knowing her for only a short time, Kocher described her as a gentle, devoted mother and said she was deeply saddened by the loss.

Community Gathers to Mourn and Remember

On Wednesday night, neighbors and locals gathered in a quiet but powerful show of unity, holding a vigil to honor the life of Renee Nicole Good.

Jaylani Hussein, executive director of CAIR-MN, addressed the crowd and praised Good's character. He said she died because she cared deeply about the people in her community.

A speaker named Noah condemned the remarks made by Secretary Noem, turning the accusation back on federal authorities. He implied that the "terrorists" were the ones present in the neighborhood that morning.

Attendees walked the block together, chanting Good's name in the cold night air. The event quickly drew attention from nearby residents. Some neighbors, like Mary Radford, struggled to find parking near her home as so many people had already gathered.

Personally, Radford recalled seeing Good often while out walking her dog, who loved to play with Good's young son. Although the family had not lived there long, she remembered their kind conversations and said she would miss them deeply.

"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," she said.

Good's death has left behind a community in mourning, a family shattered, and a nation divided. We offer our condolences to those affected during this difficult time.