ICE Officer Accused in Fatal Shooting of 37-Year-Old Minneapolis Mother Identified

Federal authorities have identified the ICE officer who fatally shot a 37-year-old woman during an immigration operation in south Minneapolis.

A 37-year-old mother is dead, shot in the head during an immigration operation gone tragically wrong. The man who pulled the trigger? A seasoned ICE officer with a controversial past — one who had already survived a violent encounter just last year.

ICE Veteran Unmasked After Fatal Shooting of Minneapolis Woman

Federal authorities have identified the ICE officer who fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good during an immigration operation in south Minneapolis.

The officer, Jonathan Ross, is a veteran federal agent who was previously injured in a separate enforcement incident in 2025.

Good, a Minneapolis resident and mother, was shot around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday morning near East 34th Street and Portland Avenue. Federal officials described the shooting as taking place during targeted immigration enforcement operations.

FOX 9 confirmed that Ross was the officer who opened fire. The Department of Homeland Security also verified Ross as the same ICE agent who was dragged by a suspect's vehicle during an arrest in Bloomington, Minnesota, in June 2025.

According to federal officials, ICE agents were approaching a red Honda Pilot when Good attempted to drive away. Authorities claim Ross feared for his life and fired in self-defense.

Good was struck in the head and later died from her injuries. Her vehicle then crashed into a parked car.

The incident triggered immediate outrage across the Twin Cities. By Thursday, protests had spilled into the streets, prompting Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to activate the National Guard "out of an abundance of caution," according to state officials.

Meanwhile, Ross's previous use-of-force history has become a flashpoint in the national conversation around immigration enforcement.

Ross Previously Dragged by Vehicle During 2025 Arrest

Court records and eyewitness accounts confirm that Ross was injured during a violent arrest attempt in Bloomington in June 2025. At the time, Ross was pursuing a Guatemalan man who was in the country illegally and had been convicted of sexual abuse in Minnesota.

During that operation, Ross shattered a vehicle window and reached inside to unlock the door. The suspect hit the gas, dragging Ross for 50 to 100 yards.

An FBI agent on the scene applied a tourniquet to his injuries, and Ross was taken to a hospital, where he received stitches for cuts and abrasions.

Vice President Praises Ross amid Growing Backlash

In the wake of the fatal shooting, Vice President J.D. Vance invoked Ross's 2025 injury while speaking out in support of the agent.

He stated Ross "deserves a debt of gratitude," calling him a man who had been assaulted and injured while serving the country.

Federal authorities have said Ross is a 10-year ICE veteran currently serving in Enforcement and Removal Operations. He previously served in Iraq with the Indiana National Guard, later working near El Paso, Texas, with the Border Patrol before joining ICE in 2015.

The probe into Good's death has ignited a growing rift between state and federal agencies. Minnesota leaders have demanded to be involved in the investigation, but on 8 January 2026, the FBI assumed full control, shutting out state officials entirely.

According to Minnesota law enforcement, they’ve been denied access to key evidence and can no longer participate in the inquiry. Federal officials have not said if this decision will be reversed.

Despite the widespread scrutiny, federal officials have refused to publicly confirm Ross's name. In a statement provided to USA TODAY, Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said, "We are not going to expose the name of this officer. He acted according to his training."

Victim Was a Minneapolis Mother of Three

Good was a mother of three. On the morning she was killed, she had just dropped off her youngest child at an elementary school in Minneapolis. She was heading home when ICE agents stopped her red SUV, and in under ten seconds, her life was over.

Good had recently relocated to Minneapolis from Kansas City, Missouri, settling with her wife and their 6-year-old son on a quiet residential street — mere blocks from where the shooting occurred.

Family and neighbors described her as gentle, compassionate, and nurturing, rejecting the notion that she posed any threat.

Poet, Wife, Mother, and Now a Hashtag

Online, Good described herself as a "poet and writer and wife and mom." Her social media accounts overflowed with intimate glimpses into her life — snapshots of her smiling with her children, musings on art and tattoos, and a profile tagline that read, "experiencing Minneapolis," followed by a pride emoji.

Her mother, Donna Ganger, confirmed her death and revealed that the family was notified late Wednesday morning. She told the Minnesota Star Tribune that her daughter was "probably terrified" during the encounter, and rejected any suggestion that she was part of a protest.

"Renee was one of the kindest people I've ever known," Ganger said. "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."

The day after the shooting, neighbors gathered near the scene, building a growing makeshift memorial on the one-way street where Good was gunned down. Flowers, flickering candles, and a wooden cross now mark the spot where she spent her final moments.

Eyewitnesses Tell a Different Story

Residents and bystanders have come forward with harrowing eyewitness accounts that sharply contradict federal authorities' statements.

Emily Heller, who lives near 33rd Street and Portland Avenue, told MPR News she saw the incident unfold from close by.

"She was trying to turn around, and the ICE agent was in front of her car," Heller said. She added that he pulled out a gun and shot her several times.

Heller said the vehicle continued for about 100 feet before crashing into a utility pole and parked cars. She recalled seeing Good slumped over inside.

Graphic Videos Emerge Online

Multiple videos captured by witnesses and shared online have shed further light on the rapidly escalating encounter.

In one clip, agents are seen surrounding the red Honda Pilot and shouting commands. An officer grabs the door handle and yells at the driver to exit. Another video appears to show gunshots fired at close range.

In a separate video recorded immediately after the shooting, a woman believed to be Good's wife is heard crying out in agony near the vehicle.

"That's my wife, I don’t know what to do!" she screams.

Good studied creative writing at Old Dominion University in Virginia, earning an English degree in 2020. That same year, she won a writing prize and went on to host a podcast with her second husband, who passed away in 2023.

As community vigils continue and neighbors grieve, the spotlight remains on the conflicting accounts of what truly happened on that snow-covered street.

With public trust shaken and pressure mounting for transparency, the death of Renee Nicole Good has become a rallying cry — not just for justice, but for answers.