Woman Shot and Killed by ICE Agent in Minneapolis Identified — What We Know So Far

The woman killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis has been identified, following a tense vehicle encounter that triggered public outcry and widespread confusion.

A federal immigration operation in south Minneapolis ended in tragedy on January 7, 2026, when a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot and killed a woman.

Authorities claimed she posed a threat, but video and witness accounts suggested otherwise, sparking outrage and calls for accountability. The woman was later identified, and her death has left the community reeling.

ICE Operation Ends in Deadly Gunfire

As reported by KARE 11, the incident occurred at the intersection of 34th Street and Portland Avenue, in the Powderhorn Park neighborhood. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), ICE agents were conducting "targeted operations" when they were allegedly confronted by individuals attempting to interfere.

DHS spokesperson and assistant secretary for public affairs Tricia McLaughlin said a woman "weaponized her vehicle" and tried to run over officers. She added:

"An ICE officer fearing for his life, the lives of his fellow officers and the lives of the public, fired defensive shots, used his training and saved his own life and that of his fellow officers. The alleged perpetrator was hit and is deceased. Thankfully, the ICE officers who were hurt are expected to make full recoveries."

A video shared online shows a burgundy SUV surrounded by law enforcement agents. Gunshots are heard before the vehicle crashes into a light pole. A bullet hole is visible in the driver's side windshield. Two parked cars appear to have been struck.

A witness told the same news outlet that the woman seemed to be fleeing from ICE agents when she was shot. The scene quickly filled with law enforcement and shocked neighbors.

Minnesota State Senator Omar Fateh stated on X that he received reports of a doctor being prevented by federal agents from administering lifesaving CPR.

Fateh, along with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, several city council members, and faith leaders, visited the scene shortly after the shooting.

Victim Identified as Local Poet and Mother

The woman was later identified as Renee Nicole Good, 37. Her family confirmed her identity. The Minneapolis City Council issued a public statement mourning her death:

Renee was a resident of our city who was out caring for her neighbors this morning and her life was taken today at the hands of the federal government. Anyone who kills someone in our city deserves to be arrested, investigated, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.."

On Instagram, Good described herself as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, a poet, a writer, a wife, and a mother originally from Colorado. She also described herself as a guitar player.

Her creative work gained recognition in 2020, when she received Old Dominion University's undergraduate poetry prize for her piece "On Learning to Dissect Fetal Pigs," while studying creative writing in Norfolk, Virginia.

In the years that followed, she settled in Minneapolis, where she lived just a few blocks from the site of the fatal shooting.

Family, Neighbors Struggle to Process Sudden Loss

According to the Star Tribune, Good's mother, Donna Ganger, said the family had been notified of her death late Wednesday morning. After hearing some of the details surrounding the shooting, Ganger expressed disbelief and heartbreak. "That's so stupid," she said. "She was probably terrified."

Ganger also stated that her daughter had no involvement with any protest activity or confrontations with federal agents. She described Good as one of the kindest people she’d ever known.

"She was extremely compassionate. She's taken care of people all her life. She was loving, forgiving and affectionate. She was an amazing human being," Ganger explained.

Ganger's daughter had previously been married to Timmy Ray Macklin Jr., who died in 2023 at the age of 36. The two shared a child, now six years old.

Macklin's father, Timmy Ray Macklin Sr., said he was shocked to learn of Good's death and expressed concern for his grandson's future. "There’s nobody else in his life," he said. "I'll drive. I'll fly. To come and get my grandchild."

In the Powderhorn Park neighborhood, residents mourned alongside friends and family. Neighbors salted the sidewalks to manage the heavy foot traffic from mourners. While many declined to speak about the tragedy, Mary Radford, 27, who lived next door to Good, shared emotional memories of the family.

Radford said she got home around 7 p.m. and found the neighborhood crowded with people who had come to grieve. She spoke warmly of the Good family, describing them as kind and close-knit.

Good's young son, Radford noted, was especially sweet and loved playing outside. He was particularly fond of her dog, often running over to pet and play with her whenever they passed by.

Though the Goods had moved in only recently, Radford reflected on meaningful conversations and a warm neighborly bond.

"We're gonna miss seeing them — forever," Radford said. "It is so painful to think about how he's gonna fare in his life. And I just can't even imagine what that family is going through." Fighting back tears, she added, "I wish I could have known her more."

The ICE shooting that claimed Good's life isn't the only federal operation drawing scrutiny. In a separate incident last year, armed ICE agents carried out a controversial arrest in Massachusetts.

As reported previously, Bruna Caroline Ferreira, a Brazilian-born woman and the mother of Karoline Leavitt's nephew, was arrested just outside Boston in a heavily armed ICE takedown on November 12, 2025.

The footage was released weeks later, and as it began circulating online, many netizens questioned whether it was truly about immigration or something far more personal.

Tactical Arrest Caught on Camera

The video, released by TMZ on December 3, began like any ordinary daily moment. A silver sedan was seen driving toward the exit of a condo parking lot in Revere, Massachusetts. It was around 12:30 p.m.

But within seconds, everything went wrong. Multiple SUVs barreled into the frame, boxing in the car. Agents leapt out with weapons raised, aiming toward the driver’s side.

Bruna stepped out and, without resistance, was immediately handcuffed and led away by officers. Another agent climbed into her vehicle, and soon after, all the cars pulled away.

Online Backlash and Bold Accusations

With tensions already high around immigration enforcement and the administration's policies, it didn't take long for netizens to unleash a storm of speculation and fingers were quickly pointed.

"That was a Set up. I don't care what nobody say [sic]," one person declared. "Set up for sure. They knew what car she was in 😭🥴," another agreed.

Then came the accusations.

"Her brother wanted full custody and mom out of the country!" someone claimed. Another netizen didn't hold back, alleging, "Karoline called them on her own nephew's mother smh [sic]." "Mm I'm sure she called so her brother could keep custody [sic]," another echoed.

One netizen furiously exploded,"THEY CALLED ON HER. DISGUSTING!"

A Legal War in the Process

While speculation continued online, the reality was that Bruna was facing a serious legal battle.

A representative from the DHS told reporters last month that she had been in the U.S. illegally since June 1999, allegedly overstaying a tourist visa. The agency also claimed she had a prior arrest for battery.

But Bruna's attorney, Todd Pomerleau, quickly pushed back.

He insisted that Bruna had no criminal record and was not in the country illegally, as she was protected under DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), a program that shields individuals brought to the U.S. as children from deportation.

The problem was that Bruna wasn't able to renew her status during President Donald Trump's first term, when legal challenges and executive action threatened to dismantle DACA entirely.

Although the Supreme Court later ruled those efforts invalid, some recipients, including Bruna, were still caught in the crosshairs of the current administration's ICE detentions.

Pomerleau said Bruna was actively in the process of obtaining legal citizenship, but at the time, she remained detained at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center. That's more than 1,500 miles from where she was arrested, and 80 miles from Baton Rouge.

The Custody Matter

According to CNN sources, Karoline's nephew had always lived full-time with his father, Michael Leavitt, in New Hampshire. Bruna and Michael, who were previously engaged, shared joint custody of the 11-year-old.

Pomerleau said Bruna was on her way to pick up her son the day of the arrest. He added that she reportedly hadn't spoken to Karoline in years, making the family dynamics even murkier.

Meanwhile, Michael told WMUR, a CNN affiliate, that their son had a fair relationship with Bruna, but that the two hadn't seen each other since the arrest. He said he only wanted what was best for his son.