At a Glance
- ICE agent Jonathan Ross shot and killed Renee Nicole Good, 37, in Minneapolis on Wednesday
- Video shows agent firing as Good’s car moved forward; no collision with officer visible
- Top officials label Good a “domestic terrorist” and claim she “weaponized her vehicle”
- Why it matters: The administration’s narrative clashes with publicly available footage, shaping public opinion before investigations conclude
A single gunshot ended Renee Nicole Good’s life after a Wednesday morning encounter with masked ICE agents in Minneapolis. Within hours, federal officials and MAGA influencers cast her as an aggressor, even as video evidence appears to contradict their claims.
The Shooting
Footage shared online shows masked agents surrounding Good’s car. One grabs the door handle; the vehicle reverses, then drives forward. Agent Jonathan Ross fires through the windshield, killing Good.
DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin confirmed the agents’ ICE affiliation. The Minnesota Star Tribune identified Ross as the shooter; McLaughlin did not confirm his name.
Rapid Narrative Shift
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem labeled the incident “domestic terrorism,” asserting Good had “weaponized her vehicle.”
President Trump posted on Truth Social that Good “viciously” ran over an agent, blaming the “radical left.”
Vice President JD Vance called Good “a victim of left-wing ideology,” saying she “threw their car in front of ICE officers.”
Influencers Amplify Claims
MAGA personalities echoed the administration within hours:
- Podcaster Matt Walsh: “She…rammed her car into one of them…Entirely justified.”
- Robby Starbuck (Heritage Foundation): “Textbook self defense.”
- Jack Posobiec: “These Bolsheviks will come for ICE agents and their families next.”
George Washington University researcher Luke Baumgartner notes this cycle lets “inaccurate or outright false interpretation become the dominant narrative.”
Local Pushback
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called the administration’s version “bullshit” and told ICE to “get the fuck out.”
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz blamed Trump policies “designed to generate fear…Today that recklessness cost someone their life.”
Evidence Gap
Asked by New York Times reporters for proof Good ran over an agent, Trump played a video that showed no impact. When reporters noted the absence, Trump trailed off, then said, “It’s a terrible scene… I hate to see it.”
Key Takeaways
- Video does not show Good’s car striking any agent before the shot
- Federal officials insist the shooting was defensive, repeating the claim at multiple briefings
- MAGA influencers spread the administration’s version to hundreds of thousands within a day
- Local leaders reject the narrative, citing the same footage
The administration shows no sign of revising its account as online discourse hardens around opposing interpretations of the same video.
