The streets of Minneapolis have been roiled by protest, grief, and urgent questions after the fatal shooting of Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent Jonathan Ross on January 7, 2026. The incident, captured in a series of videos—including raw, up-close footage from Ross’s own body camera—has ignited a national debate over law enforcement tactics, federal immigration enforcement, and the transparency of government investigations.
According to records obtained by The Associated Press, Jonathan Ross is not new to high-stakes situations. An Iraq War veteran, Ross served as a machine-gunner with the Indiana National Guard from 2004 to 2005 before joining the Border Patrol near El Paso in 2007. Over the years, he’s worn many hats: field intelligence agent, SWAT team member, firearms instructor, and team leader with the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. Since 2015, he’s been a deportation officer with ICE, based in Minnesota and tasked with arresting “higher value targets.” In his own words, Ross described his job as developing targets, conducting surveillance, and executing arrest warrants, all while ensuring the safety of his team and the public.
Ross’s history also includes trauma. On June 17, 2025, while attempting to arrest Roberto Munoz-Guatemala in Bloomington, Minnesota, Ross was dragged the length of a football field by a fleeing suspect’s car. Despite firing his Taser, Ross was not able to stop the vehicle and suffered severe injuries—large cuts, abrasions, and the need for dozens of stitches. “It was pretty excruciating pain,” Ross testified last month. Munoz-Guatemala was later convicted of assaulting a federal officer, with the court finding that he “should reasonably have known that Jonathan Ross was a law enforcement officer and not a private citizen attempting to assault him.”
Federal officials have rallied around Ross in the wake of the latest shooting. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Vice President JD Vance both praised his lengthy service and professionalism. “This is a guy who’s actually done a very, very important job for the United States of America,” Vance stated, highlighting Ross’s history of being “assaulted, attacked, and injured” in the line of duty. Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, emphasized that Ross was selected for ICE’s special response team and had acted according to his training. “This officer is a longtime ICE officer who has been serving his country his entire life,” she said.
Yet, the facts surrounding the shooting of Renee Good have fueled a different conversation on the streets and in the halls of government. Good, who had recently moved to Minneapolis with her wife and son to escape what she feared would be an increasingly hostile political climate, was killed during a chaotic encounter with federal agents. Video footage captured by a neighbor, Lynette Reini-Grandell, shows Good’s vehicle blocking the street as several cars honk and residents blow whistles. Federal agents, some in ICE vests, are seen approaching the vehicle. Ninety seconds into the recording, law enforcement sirens and shouting can be heard, and at the two-minute mark, gunshots ring out—though the camera is no longer pointed at Good’s car.
The release of video from Ross’s own body camera, first published by the conservative outlet Alpha News and amplified by Vice President Vance, has only deepened the divide. Supporters of ICE claim the footage demonstrates that Ross’s life was endangered and that he fired in self-defense. Department of Homeland Security officials say the video “corroborates what DHS has stated all along.” But others, including United Nations spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, called the footage “deeply disturbing,” and have urged a transparent investigation into the use of deadly force.
The FBI has taken control of the investigation, but not without controversy. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) announced it had “reluctantly withdrawn” from the probe after being denied access to key evidence and witnesses by federal authorities. “Without complete access to the evidence, witnesses and information collected, we cannot meet the investigative standards that Minnesota law and the public demands,” the BCA said in a statement. Minnesota’s U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar have since called for a joint investigation, citing past examples where federal and state agencies worked together in the wake of critical incidents.
On the ground, the response has been immediate and intense. Vigils and protests erupted nationwide in the days following the shooting, with the largest gatherings in Minneapolis itself. Demonstrators—some carrying signs reading “Abolish ICE” and “Justice for Renee Good”—packed downtown streets, banged pots and pans, played musical instruments, and shone lights on hotel windows where they believed federal agents were staying. On January 9 and 10, police declared several assemblies unlawful, deploying Minnesota State Troopers in riot gear and making arrests as they moved to disperse the crowds. According to CNN, at least two hotels became focal points for protest, with demonstrators chanting, kneeling, and demanding accountability.
The memorial for Good has grown by the hour, with hundreds streaming to the site of her death to leave flowers, signs, and mementos. Members of the city’s Somali community held a rally to honor her memory, describing Good as “a real person, a neighbor, a loved one with a life that mattered.” One organizer read aloud a poem written by Good, recalling her as a poet and a “brave person.” Minnesota Governor Tim Walz declared a “Day of Unity” in her honor, while also warning residents to prepare for the possible deployment of the National Guard—an echo of the city’s response to the unrest following George Floyd’s murder.
The shooting has also had ripple effects beyond policing. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has paused over $100 million in federal financial awards to Minnesota and Minneapolis amid a widening fraud probe, adding to the sense of crisis in a state already grappling with political and social upheaval. Meanwhile, Minneapolis Public Schools closed for several days due to safety concerns, offering online options for families in the wake of citywide tension.
As the investigation continues, the debate over ICE tactics, the role of federal law enforcement in local communities, and the transparency of government investigations remains as fierce as ever. For the family of Renee Good, the protesters on the streets, and a city still searching for answers, the story is far from over.
