VERDICT: CONTEXT NEEDED
Renee Nicole Good, 37, was shot and killed by ICE Agent Jonathan Ross on January 7, 2026 during an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis. This is confirmed fact. However, the circumstances remain sharply disputed. Video evidence analyzed by multiple news organizations appears to contradict federal claims that Good "ran over" the agent. The FBI has taken exclusive control of the investigation and blocked Minnesota state investigators from accessing evidence. This is a developing story with major facts still emerging.
On January 7, 2026, at approximately 9:30 AM CST, Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, mother, and writer, was shot three times and killed by ICE Agent Jonathan Ross during "Operation Metro Surge" in South Minneapolis. The federal government claims Good "weaponized her vehicle" and attempted to run over the agent. Independent video analysis by The New York Times, Washington Post, and others shows the vehicle's wheels were turned away from the agent at the moment of firing. The FBI has assumed exclusive jurisdiction, removing Minnesota's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension from the investigation less than 24 hours after the shooting. Governor Tim Walz and local officials have accused the federal government of obstruction. This report presents what is currently known, what remains unknown, and where both political narratives diverge from established evidence.
What We Know For Certain
These facts are established through multiple independent sources, official statements, or video evidence:
- Renee Nicole Good is dead. She was pronounced dead at the scene after being shot three times. [8]
- The shooter was ICE Agent Jonathan Ross. Identified through court records and confirmed by federal officials. [14]
- Good was a U.S. citizen. Born in Colorado, she held a degree from Old Dominion University. [12]
- The shooting occurred during Operation Metro Surge. A federal deployment of approximately 2,000 officers to Minneapolis-St. Paul. [6]
- The FBI has exclusive control of the investigation. Minnesota BCA was removed within 24 hours. [22]
- Multiple bystander videos exist. Footage has been analyzed by news organizations. [18]
- Agent Ross was dragged by a vehicle in June 2025. He required 33 stitches after a previous arrest incident. [16]
What Remains Unknown
- Body camera footage: It is unclear whether ICE agents were wearing body cameras, or if footage exists and is being withheld. [4]
- Autopsy results: The precise trajectory of bullets and official cause of death has not been publicly released.
- What commands were given: Witnesses describe conflicting orders being shouted at Good. The exact sequence is disputed.
- Good's precise intent: Whether she was attempting to flee, comply, or something else cannot be definitively established from available evidence.
- The full unedited video: The FBI possesses video evidence that has not been released to state investigators or the public.
The Victim: Renee Nicole Good
Renee Nicole Good, 37, was a mother, wife, and writer who had moved to Minneapolis from Kansas City approximately one year before her death. She lived with her wife Rebecca and their six-year-old son. She also had two older children, ages 15 and 12, from a previous marriage. [11]
Good held a degree in English from Old Dominion University, where she won an undergraduate poetry prize in 2020. She described herself as a "poet and writer and wife and mom and shitty guitar strummer." [12]
Her mother, Donna Ganger, described her as "one of the kindest people I've ever known" and someone who "makes messy art." [10]
According to her ex-husband and public records, Good had no known criminal history beyond a minor traffic ticket. [12]
On the morning of her death, Good had dropped her son off at school and was present in the neighborhood as part of a community effort to monitor ICE enforcement activity. Her wife stated: "We stopped to support our neighbors. We had whistles. They had guns." [13]
The Agent: Jonathan Ross
Jonathan Ross, 43, is a veteran law enforcement officer with military and paramilitary background. [14]
Military Service: Ross served in the U.S. Army as a machine-gunner on a combat logistical patrol team in Iraq (2004-2005). [15]
Law Enforcement Career: He joined U.S. Border Patrol after military service, stationed near El Paso, Texas. He joined ICE in 2015 and was assigned to the St. Paul field office. Ross is a member of the Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Special Response Team (SRT), a tactical unit with SWAT-level training. His roles included firearms instructor, active-shooter instructor, and field intelligence officer. [14]
Six months before the Good shooting, Agent Ross was involved in a violent incident during an arrest in Bloomington, Minnesota. While attempting to arrest Roberto Carlos Munoz-Guatemala, a suspect with prior sexual assault convictions, Ross broke a rear window and reached inside the vehicle. The suspect accelerated, dragging Ross approximately 100 yards along the pavement. Ross required 33 stitches and reportedly "clung to his life." [16]
Why this matters: Vice President JD Vance has cited this incident as justification for Ross's quick use of force, arguing he was "sensitive about somebody ramming him." Critics argue this history suggests Ross may have been unfit for field duty involving vehicles due to potential trauma response.
The Federal Narrative
The Trump Administration has presented a specific account of events:
- President Trump: "The woman... violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE Officer." [19]
- DHS Secretary Kristi Noem: The agent was "pinned" and the vehicle was "weaponized." [1]
- Vice President Vance: The agent was "clearly acting in self-defense." [20]
The administration has characterized Good as a "domestic terrorist" and described her actions as an "act of domestic terrorism." [1]
This terminology marks a significant escalation, reframing civilian non-compliance during police encounters as a national security threat.
What Video Evidence Shows
Multiple news organizations have conducted independent forensic analysis of bystander video:
The New York Times, Washington Post, and Bellingcat synchronized multiple video angles and established: [18]
- Agent Ross was positioned to the left of the vehicle's headlight, not directly between the headlights, at the moment of firing.
- The front wheels of Good's vehicle were visibly turned to the right (away from the agent) before shots were fired.
- The agent was not struck, dragged, or "run over." He stepped back/sideways as he fired and remained fully mobile afterward.
- Ross walked away from the vehicle 45 seconds after the shooting with the camera app open on his phone, apparently documenting the scene.
The Washington Post concluded that Ross fired "at least two of three shots from the side of the vehicle as it veered past him." [13]
This distinction is legally significant: Shooting at a vehicle that is passing or fleeing is rarely considered self-defense under standard use-of-force doctrines, as the threat of impact has already passed.
Claims Scorecard: Both Sides vs. Evidence
Federal Claims
| Claim | Evidence Status |
|---|---|
| "Good ran over the agent" | CONTRADICTED by video showing wheels turned away, agent not struck |
| "Agent was pinned" | CONTRADICTED by video showing agent walking away immediately |
| "Good was a domestic terrorist" | UNSUBSTANTIATED - no criminal history, no evidence of extremism |
| "Good was stalking agents" | DISPUTED - family says she was legal observing; constitutionally protected activity |
State/Local Claims
| Claim | Evidence Status |
|---|---|
| "FBI is blocking state investigation" | CONFIRMED by BCA official statement [22] |
| "Good was unarmed" | CONFIRMED - no weapon reported; she had whistles |
| "Vehicle was moving away from agent" | SUPPORTED by independent video analysis |
| "This was an extrajudicial killing" | PENDING - legal determination requires full investigation |
The Jurisdictional Conflict: FBI vs. Minnesota
Perhaps the most consequential development since the shooting is the federal government's assertion of exclusive jurisdiction.
Timeline of the Takeover
- January 7, 9:30 AM: Shooting occurs
- January 7, ~11:00 AM: Minnesota BCA Force Investigations Unit arrives to lead joint investigation with FBI
- January 8, afternoon: FBI/U.S. Attorney Dan Rosen inform BCA they are being removed from the case [4]
- January 8, ~4:00 PM: BCA Superintendent Drew Evans announces withdrawal
"Without complete access to the evidence... we cannot meet the investigative standards that Minnesota law and the public demands. As a result, the BCA has reluctantly withdrawn from the investigation."
— Superintendent Drew Evans, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension [22]
What BCA Lost Access To
- The crime scene
- Physical evidence (vehicle, shell casings)
- Witness interviews
- Any video footage held by federal agents
The Legal Framework
The federal government's position relies on the Supremacy Clause (Article VI, Clause 2) and In re Neagle (1890), which established that federal officers cannot be prosecuted by states for acts committed within the scope of their federal authority, provided those acts are "necessary and proper." [4]
The catch: By seizing all evidence, the FBI effectively prevents Minnesota from gathering evidence needed to prove Ross's actions were "unreasonable" and thus ineligible for immunity. This creates what critics call a "closed loop" where the federal government investigates itself.
Local Response
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty has publicly solicited video and evidence from the community, bypassing the FBI. She stated: "We do have jurisdiction to make this decision... It does not matter that it was a federal law enforcement agent." [17]
Context: Operation Metro Surge
The shooting occurred within the context of a massive federal law enforcement operation in the Twin Cities.
Operation Metro Surge involved the deployment of approximately 2,000 federal law enforcement officers to Minneapolis-St. Paul. DHS stated the surge was necessary to combat violent crime and investigate fraud, specifically targeting the Somali-American community. [6]
The operational posture differed significantly from community policing:
- Agents deployed in unmarked vehicles
- Tactical gear and SWAT-level equipment
- Saturation of high-target zones
- ICE Special Response Teams (SRT) active
The Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota described the operation as a "full-scale invasion" designed to "terrorize specific communities under the racist pretense of fraud investigations." [6]
Location significance: The shooting occurred blocks from where George Floyd was killed in 2020, in a community still processing that trauma.
Pattern? Portland Shooting 24 Hours Later
On January 8, 2026—just 24 hours after the Good shooting—federal Border Patrol agents in Portland, Oregon, shot and wounded two people in another vehicle-related incident. [24]
DHS used similar language, claiming the Portland driver "weaponized his vehicle."
These back-to-back shootings with similar justifications have led some observers to question whether there has been a systemic loosening of rules of engagement regarding vehicles, or a directive encouraging aggressive tactics against non-compliant motorists. This remains speculative without internal policy documents.
Policy Context: Shooting at Vehicles
Many major city police departments, including New York City (since 1972), have banned officers from shooting at moving vehicles except in extreme circumstances. [21]
Federal policy is more permissive but still restrictive. The Department of Justice policy generally discourages shooting at vehicles but allows it if the agent or another person is in imminent danger of death or serious injury.
The video evidence suggesting Ross was not directly in the vehicle's path at the moment of firing raises questions about whether the shooting met even the permissive federal standard of "objective reasonableness."
Community and Political Response
Governor Tim Walz proclaimed January 9, 2026 as a "Day of Unity" to honor Good. [23]
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey told ICE to "get the f**k out of Minneapolis." [9]
The Minneapolis Park Board passed a resolution prohibiting ICE from staging in park facilities. [7]
Minneapolis Public Schools closed on January 9 following reports of ICE agents near school grounds. [1]
What Happens Next
Federal Investigation: The FBI is conducting the sole official investigation. No timeline for completion has been announced.
Potential State Action: If Hennepin County Attorney Moriarty indicts Ross based on community-sourced evidence, the case would likely be removed to federal court under 28 U.S.C. § 1442, where a federal judge would decide if Ross is immune from prosecution.
Constitutional Test: This case may set precedent on the limits of federal police power and state authority to investigate federal agents who kill civilians.
Bottom Line
What is true: Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen with no criminal history, was shot and killed by ICE Agent Jonathan Ross. The FBI has blocked state investigators from the case.
What is disputed: Whether Good posed a lethal threat to Ross. Video evidence analyzed by independent news organizations contradicts federal claims that she "ran over" the agent.
What is unknown: The contents of any body camera footage, the precise sequence of events, and whether the shooting met legal standards for use of force.
What is concerning: The federal government's characterization of a U.S. citizen with no criminal history as a "domestic terrorist," and the seizure of all evidence preventing independent state investigation.
This story is developing. GenuVerity will update this report as new facts emerge.
Timeline of Events
| Date/Time | Event |
|---|---|
| June 2025 | Agent Ross dragged by vehicle during arrest; requires 33 stitches |
| Jan 7, 2026 - Morning | Operation Metro Surge active in South Minneapolis; community "ICE watchers" present |
| Jan 7, ~9:30 AM | Renee Good shot three times by Agent Ross; pronounced dead at scene |
| Jan 7, ~11:00 AM | Minnesota BCA arrives to lead joint investigation with FBI |
| Jan 8, Afternoon | FBI/U.S. Attorney remove BCA from investigation |
| Jan 8, ~4:00 PM | BCA announces withdrawal; Gov. Walz condemns federal takeover |
| Jan 8, Evening | Federal agents shoot two in Portland under similar circumstances |
| Jan 9, Morning | Hennepin County Attorney solicits evidence from public |
| Jan 9 | Gov. Walz declares "Day of Unity"; Minneapolis schools closed |