What we covered here
• Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has defended an ICE agent after he fatally shot a woman in Minneapolis, saying she had tried to run over the officer. State and local officials disputed claims that the shooting was done in self-defense. Three videos of the shooting reviewed by CNN show nuance, and exactly what took place before the shooting remains unclear.
• The woman was identified as 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, a US citizen with a 6-year-old child. People gathered at the shooting site throughout the day, first to protest the police and then to honor Good’s life in a vigil.
• Gov. Tim Walz said he has been “warning for weeks” that ICE operations in his state were a “threat to our public safety.” Separately, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey disputed the DHS account and told agents to “get the fuck out of Minneapolis.”
Our live coverage of the ICE shooting in Minneapolis has moved here.
Debris and graffiti found at Sacramento ICE building amid protests, police say
Graffiti and other damage were reported at a Sacramento ICE building Wednesday amid nationwide protests over federal immigration enforcement and the killing of Renee Good by an ICE agent.
Sacramento police said graffiti was found on the building, gates were pushed in, and at least one vehicle’s windows were broken, CNN affiliate KOVR reported. Officers monitored the area and later cleared the scene.
A poster reading “REST IN PEACE Renee Nicole Killed By ICE” was among the debris and grafiti left behind, KOVR reported.
Victim was a graduate of Old Dominion University, college says
Renee Nicole Good, the 37-year-old fatally shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, graduated from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, in December 2020 with a degree in English, her alma mater said in a statement.
“It is with great sadness that Old Dominion University mourns the loss of one of our own, Renee (Macklin) Good,” the university’s President Brian O. Hemphill said in a statement, calling her a “a proud Monarch.”
“May Renee’s life be a reminder of what unites us: freedom, love, and peace,” he added.
Hemphill described Good’s death as “yet another clear example that fear and violence have sadly become commonplace in our nation,” urging “compassion, healing, and reflection at a time that is becoming one of the darkest and most uncertain periods in our nation’s history.”
Analysis: Minneapolis shooting lays bare the nation’s fractured politics
An ICE agent’s fatal shooting of a woman in Minneapolis has quickly become the latest explosive incident in the second term of Donald Trump that is dragging politics to a bitter breaking point.
The killing was the latest sickening example of violence arising from politics that is draining America’s morale and marks a savage chapter in modern history. It follows two assassination attempts against Trump in 2024; the killings of a beloved Minnesota Democratic lawmaker, Melissa Hortman, and her husband last year; the alleged murder of a health insurance executive on a New York street in 2024; and the abhorrent gunning-down of MAGA hero Charlie Kirk in September.
The lesson of past horrors is that politics may thwart national closure.
The shooting is also the latest encounter between citizens and the ICE agents who’ve fanned into major cities. Often wearing masks, the agents sometimes dragnet American citizens as well as undocumented migrants. Social media videos show car rammings by federal agents or pro-immigration activists. ICE officials told CNN in October that attacks against agents rose 1,000% last year. Noem said one officer involved on Wednesday was dragged by the car of an “anti-ICE rioter” in June.
This all poses a searching question: Is an immigration crackdown that Trump insists will make American safer in fact making it far more dangerous?
Putting the particulars of Wednesday’s incident aside, it’s possible that any American, caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, is in peril.
Is that level of danger and risk really tolerable in a democratic society?
In pictures: Protests across multiple states following Minneapolis shooting
ICE agent should have de-escalated the situation, former Minneapolis police chief says
Former Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo has described to CNN ways in which an ICE agent who fatally shot a woman in the city could have de-escalated the situation.
He said police departments “are trained specifically when you’re dealing with individuals in a vehicle. De-escalation. But you’re also trained to do what you can as a law enforcement officer to eliminate your risk and to eliminate the public’s risk,” he told CNN’s Laura Coates.
When asked to explain, Arradondo said: “Get out of the way of the car.”
Given the woman was not the immediate target of the operation, ICE agents could have let her go and revisited her case later, Arrandondo said.
“To use deadly force…the elements of that have to be so concerning to open up fire on an individual,” he said.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has defended the ICE agent’s actions, saying that he was using his training.
Witness Ugene Bentley said he saw an agent take a video of the front and rear of the victim’s car before the shooting.
“I’m thinking at that time that they can follow up,” he said, noting that he assumed they recorded her license plate.
Victim was a "wonderful person" and "extremely compassionate," family says
The father of the shooting victim Renee Good told the the Washington Post he and his wife were notified of their daughter’s death earlier on Wednesday and were still trying to process the information.
Ganger said Good spent most of her life in Colorado, but briefly moved to Valley Falls, Kansas, to live with her parents for a time after her husband — a military veteran — died about three years ago, according to the Post.
Tim Ganger added that he and his wife were not ready to talk further about Good’s life or her death as they were still gathering the facts of what happened.
As CNN reported earlier, Good’s mother, Donna Ganger, told the Minnesota Star Tribune that her daughter most recently lived in the Twin Cities with her partner and was “not part of anything like that at all,” referring to protesters challenging ICE agents.”
Speaking to CNN affiliate KMGH, Good’s uncle Robert Ganger, said news of his niece’s passing was especially difficult for the family since Good’s older sister was celebrating her birthday on Wednesday.
CNN has reached out to the Ganger family.
Minneapolis City Council members condemn fatal shooting and call for investigation
Minneapolis’ City Council members issued a joint statement Wednesday condemning the fatal shooting of Renee Good and criticizing what they described as ongoing federal “attacks” on the city.
Signed by 11 of the city’s 13 council members, the statement called for an investigation into the shooting. “Anyone who kills someone in our city deserves to be arrested, investigated, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” they wrote.
The council members also demanded that ICE leave Minneapolis “immediately” to “get rid of their chaos and violence that ended the life of one of our neighbors today.”
Reaffirming their commitment to working with state partners to protect the city’s immigrant neighbors, the council members stated, “Minneapolis is resilient and will not back down as the federal government ramps up their attacks on our community.”
Governor demands accountability for fatal shooting of Colorado Springs resident
Colorado Governor Jared Polis on Wednesday called for a full investigation into the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent.
“It has been reported that Ms. Good, the mother of a young child, is from the Colorado Springs area and has family living in Colorado,” his statement read.
Polis described the incident as “tragic” and “deeply disturbing,” and expressed condolences to Good’s child, friends, family and loved ones in the state.
“Clearly not true” Minneapolis police are protecting ICE agents, chief says
The Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara has dismissed claims that his officers were protecting ICE agents, emphasizing that their primary responsibilty was to secure a crime scene, an essential taks for both the victim and the community.
“That’s clearly not true. And it is objectively false,” O’Hara told CNN’s Laura Coates, who cited criticisms from people on the ground.
“We have an obligation to secure that crime scene so that evidence can be processed and that we can ensure that a full and thorough investigation can occur,” he said, adding that police have a duty “both to the person who is now deceased, their family…as well as the the general community.”
O’Hara also noted that earlier in the day his officers faced hostility from people “who were not protesting peacefully,” including having objects thrown at them and being subjected to hateful comments.
He said he was “incredibly proud” of his officers for de-escalating what he described as a “very, very chaotic situation.” O’Hara reiterated his concern about the actions of federal law enforcement’s activities in Minneapolis, a point he also raised with CNN’s Erin Burnett earlier.
“The questionable methods that we have seen, that I have said repeatedly, cause a potential danger to the law enforcement officers themselves, as well as to members of the community,” he said.
Minneapolis public schools closed for the rest of the week "due to safety concerns"
Public schools in Minneapolis will be closed for the rest of the school week “due to safety concerns,” according to a notice on its website.
“Out of an abundance of caution, there will be no school on Thursday, Jan. 8 and Friday, Jan. 9 due to safety concerns related to today’s incidents around the city,” the notice said.
Other school-sponsored programs, activities, athletics and community education classes will also be canceled, it added.
“School will resume on Monday, Jan. 12,” the notice said.
A 37-year-old woman was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. Here's what we know so far
The Minneapolis community has erupted in anger and sadness after 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good was fatally shot by an ICE agent during a confrontation.
The shooting comes after the federal government ramped up immigration enforcement following a welfare scandal that resulted in the governor dropping out of his reelection campaign.
Here is what we know about today’s shooting:
- Shooting victim identified: Good was identified by Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith as the woman who was fatally shot by an ICE agent, which was first reported by the Minnesota Star Tribune. Good was a US citizen, Smith said in an X post, and had a 6-year-old child, Minnesota Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan said.
- DHS secretary says woman sparked confrontation: Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said Good was “stalking and impeding” officers’ work throughout the day and tried to “weaponize her vehicle” in an attempt to run over the officer. That federal agent “used his training to save his own life and that of his colleagues,” she said.
- Minnesota politicians express anger: Minnesota politicians blamed the Trump administration’s immigration tactics, saying it lead to the fatal shooting, with Gov. Tim Walz warning he is prepared to deploy the state’s National Guard. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said this moment in Minneapolis is testing “the endurance of our republic.”
- People come out to shooting site: People across Minneapolis gathered at the shooting site throughout the day, first to protest the police and then to honor Good’s life in a vigil that filled an entire block. The scene this evening appears “very calm,” CNN law enforcement correspondent Whitney Wild said.
- More accounts of what happened: CNN spoke with multiple people who witnessed the confrontation and the fatal shooting. Witnesses viewed it from their homes, peeking outside to see what the commotion was, when they witnessed a driver blowing a whistle and yelling out their window, a shot at close range, and a woman covered in blood saying, “You guys just killed my wife!”
- Local law enforcement prepares resources: Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said today’s shooting has increased tensions in Minneapolis after weeks of strain from immigration enforcement. The department is working to bulk up resources, according to a source, and O’Hara said the department is at an elevated state of readiness throughout the night.
Vance says victim is “a tragedy of her own making,” and Pence calls it a "cautionary tale"
The death of Renee Nicole Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE agent, was “a tragedy of her own making,” US Vice President JD Vance wrote on X.
“You can accept that this woman’s death is a tragedy while acknowledging it’s a tragedy of her own making,” he posted Wednesday evening.
Vance also threw his support behind ICE agents: “I want every ICE officer to know that their president, vice president, and the entire administration stands behind them,” he said.
Former Vice President Mike Pence, speaking to CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on Wednesday, said he wants to see “more support from local and state officials for ICE agents doing a very hard job.”
“I also think today should be a cautionary tale that people ought not to, as reports in this case suggest, people ought not to be harassing ICE officers,” he said.
Woman covered in blood at scene of fatal ICE shooting heard telling federal agents: “You guys just killed my wife!”
A woman with blood covering her face sat in the yard of Minneapolis resident Tyrice Jones’ home following the fatal ICE shooting of a woman this morning, Jones said, and was heard shouting, “You guys just killed my wife!”
Jones, 35, was in an upstairs apartment when he heard gunshots and a crash, prompting him to come outside and see the SUV driven by Renee Nicole Good had smashed into a streetlight directly in front of his building, he said.
He told the woman to call “her people,” to which she replied, “We have nobody out here. We’re from out of town,” said Jones, who said no one offered the woman medical aid. The woman later gave her black lab to a bystander and people in a group chat were attempting to find her so they could return her dog, he added.
The resident of Portland Avenue then captured video showing the immediate aftermath of the ICE-involved shooting, including agents at the driver’s seat assessing the situation and bystanders berating the agents for shooting the driver.
Jones said agents took the woman driver’s body out of the crashed car and set her on the ground, after which he saw four or five people carry her body by the arms and legs to the end of the block and set her on the ground until an ambulance arrived.
“Very calm” crowd pays respect at the scene as anger subsides, CNN correspondent says
The scene where Renee Nicole Good was shot by an ICE agent is “very calm” now, a stark contrast to the moments of anger directed at police officers earlier, CNN law enforcement correspondent Whitney Wild said.
“It is completely quiet because this is steps from where this woman lost her life,” said Wild, reporting on the ground, describing it as a “moment of real reverence.”
She pointed to a growing memorial site with hundreds of candles and bouquets of flowers dedicated to the 37-year-old woman.
“All these people here are taking a moment to look at this vigil, reflect on her life, reflect on what this moment means,” she said. “This is just so striking. This is right where she spent her last moments.”
It’s a departure from earlier when an angry crowd confronted Minneapolis police officers, yelling and throwing snowballs at them, she said.
“It was a really striking moment … because Minneapolis police were taking that heat from the public for something that they were not involved in. And yet the public felt like they were where they were going to direct their anger,” she said.
Minneapolis Police bulk up resources out of an abundance of caution, source says
Out of an abundance of caution to quell any potential unruly crowds overnight, Minneapolis police have requested mutual aid resources from the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Department as well as state police to be available in the area, a law enforcement source tells CNN.
The Minneapolis Police Department has also canceled days off for officers and recalled all sworn law enforcement officers to be available for assignment if needed. The source noted there is no indication violence will occur, but law enforcement resources are being staged out of an abundance of caution.
Speaking with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Wednesday night, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed his department will be at an elevated state of readiness throughout the night with additional resources on standby.
Witness of fatal ICE shooting says victim was not aggressive, says agents used unnecessary force in “reaction to imagined danger”
A witness to the fatal ICE shooting of a woman in a vehicle said she did not appear to be driving aggressively, calling the incident “an unnecessary use of force in a reaction to imagined danger.”
Trevor Heitkamp disputed the Department of Homeland Security’s claims the agent fired his weapon in self-defense, aligning with state and local officials. The Minneapolis resident was in front of his house when he started to hear the incident unfold down the street, prompting him to record a video.
As he got closer, Heitkamp said a red SUV was turned “mostly sideways in the road” to obstruct ICE agents, who shouted at the driver to move the car, he told CNN. “The car backed up slowly and proceeded to pull forward pretty slowly,” while witnesses shouted in protest, he said.
That vehicle then crashed into a nearby car when the ICE agent put his weapon back into its holster, Heitkamp said. The agents on scene were shouting, “No pulse!” when a man who identified himself as a physician told the officers to let him administer emergency medical care, he added.
The agents rejected his offers, telling the doctor to “back up,” Heitkamp said, at least two or three minutes before emergency medical services arrived on the scene.
ICE agent shot victim at close range, witness tells CNN
Emily Heller was making breakfast in her Minneapolis home when she first noticed ICE agents quarrelling with protesters on her street.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were yelling at a woman driving an SUV, Heller told CNN’s Erin Burnett on Wednesday.
An ICE agent then tried to open her car door as another stood nearby. “She reversed a little bit,” Heller said, and then turned her wheels to begin pulling away.
Heller, 39, said a neighbor who is a physician told agents he would like to administer CPR, but the agents didn’t allow him help, saying an emergency responder was en route.
“It was at least 15 minutes before the ambulance arrived,” Heller said.
Because the street was clogged with ICE vehicles, emergency crews were forced to abandon their ambulance and approach the victim on foot with no stretcher, Heller said.
“My life is forever changed from having witnessed this,” said Heller, who told CNN the narrative that the ICE agent acted in self defense is false.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the agent’s actions, saying the woman had attempted to run the agent over in an act of “domestic terrorism.”
Minneapolis resident recounts ICE confrontation that resulted in death of woman: "Not called for"
This morning, Ugene Bentley watched from his front window as a confrontation between ICE agents and a woman turned deadly, killing 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good.
Bentley said he saw an SUV blocking both lanes of traffic, and heard the driver blowing a whistle and yelling out an open window of her vehicle to let people know that ICE agents were nearby.
Bentley said an agent took a video of the front and rear of the car.
“I’m thinking at that time that they can follow up,” he said, noting that he assumed they recorded her license plate.
He said a truck then pulled up and more ICE agents got out, and as one tried to open an SUV door, another walked in front of the vehicle and fired the shots after Good pulled forward.
Bentley said he felt the lethal use of force was unwarranted.
“I’m not the judge on what’s legal and what’s not legal, but that right there was not called for,” he said.
What is happening in Minneapolis right now is about “the endurance of our republic,” mayor says
People need to be paying attention to what’s happening in Minneapolis as the moment is testing “the endurance of our republic,” Mayor Jacob Frey told CNN’s Anderson Cooper.
“The notion that this is domestic terrorism on the form of the victim is positively ridiculous. The way that ICE is behaving is reckless,” he said, repeating a previous statement that both the characterization of the incident and ICE’s behavior is “bullshit.”
What is important now, Frey said, is for Minneapolis residents to stand up and peacefully protest.
“This federal government wants to have an excuse to militarize Minneapolis and bring additional occupation to our city,” he said.
