Renée Good’s Family Sues US Government Over Minneapolis Shooting
“I’m not angry with you. I’m not angry with any of you,” Renée Good told an immigration agent through her open car window moments before she was shot and killed on January 7 in Minneapolis, according to video evidence analyzed by El País. The family of the 37-year-old U.S. citizen filed two federal lawsuits against the United States government and top immigration officials, alleging wrongful death, civil rights conspiracy, and an intentional cover-up following the fatal enforcement action.
Two Lawsuits Filed in Federal Court Over January Killing
The legal filings in Minneapolis federal court stem from a high-profile shooting during the “Metro Surge” immigration enforcement operation. The first lawsuit, brought by the victim’s partner Becca Good and brother Brent Ganger on behalf of her three minor children, parents and siblings, names the United States government as a defendant. The second action targets Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent Jonathan Ross alongside several high-ranking federal officials for allegedly conspiring to interfere with civil rights and suppress evidence regarding the operation.
The incident unfolded on January 7 as protests erupted across Minneapolis against federal immigration sweeps. According to Becca Good’s statements provided to El País, Renée Good had just dropped off her son at school and stopped her red SUV on a city street to support local residents who were confronting agents. Witness video shows Good blocking part of the roadway and honking her horn while two masked immigration agents exit a vehicle. Agent Ross approached the driver’s side window on foot while recording on a mobile phone, and subsequently ordered Good to exit the vehicle.
Disputed Accounts of Self-Defense Versus Lethal Force Violations
Federal officials asserted immediately following the shooting that Agent Ross acted in self-defense and claimed Good had committed “an act of domestic terrorism.” However, video analysis conducted by The Associated Press and other media organizations contradicted those initial government claims. Footage shows Good shifting into reverse briefly before turning the steering wheel to drive away as the agent shouted commands to get out of the car. Agent Ross fired a shot through the windshield, then stepped toward the open driver’s side window as the vehicle pulled away and fired two more rounds, striking Good in the head.
Legal counsel for the family argues that the use of lethal force violated both the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and ICE’s mandatory use-of-force policies, which dictate that lethal force is restricted to imminent threats of death or serious bodily harm rather than preventing flight. Furthermore, the lawsuits state that agents failed to render medical aid and actively blocked a bystander who identified as a physician from offering assistance, telling them, “I don’t care,” as detailed by El País.
High-Ranking Officials Named in Civil Rights Conspiracy Complaint
The civil rights conspiracy complaint points to a coordinated effort by federal authorities to target Somali and Latino communities in Minnesota.
The legal action contends that top officials rushed to defend the shooting without knowing the facts, with Kristi Noem publicly characterizing Good’s actions as domestic terrorism to shield the agency from scrutiny. This enforcement action in Minneapolis, alongside subsequent deaths such as that of U.S. citizen Alex Pretti weeks later, brought widespread national condemnation. At least 10 people have died nationwide during encounters with immigration agents through the second term of Donald Trump’s administration, prompting families affected by enforcement operations to seek accountability through federal litigation and specialized civil rights attorneys.