Federal authorities are not pursuing a Justice Department criminal investigation into the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good, who was killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis.
Why It Matters
As the case continues to draw national scrutiny and comparisons to the 2020 death of George Floyd, the justice department has said it is not investigating the killing of Good. This is in stark contrast to its response six years ago, when the first Trump-era Department of Justice (DOJ) launched an immediate criminal inquiry into Floyd’s killing, an investigation that led to the convictions of four police officers. Good was killed less than a mile from where Floyd was murdered in May 2020.
What To Know
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche told Fox News that the DOJ does not currently plan to investigate the conduct of ICE agent Jonathan Ross, who fired the shots that killed Good during an enforcement action in Minneapolis.
Blanche added that based on available evidence, including widely shared video of the shooting, the department sees no basis for a criminal civil rights investigation at this time.
“Is the FBI conducting an investigation into that agent, into the shooting?” Blanche was asked by host Shannon Bream.
“Look, what happened that day has been reviewed by millions and millions of Americans because it was recorded on phones,” Blanche said. “The Department of Justice, our civil rights unit, we don’t just go out and investigate every time an officer is forced to defend himself against somebody putting his life in danger. We never do.”
“The Department of Justice doesn’t just stand up and investigate because some congressman thinks we should, because some governor thinks that we should,” Blanche said. “We investigate when it’s appropriate to investigate and that is not the case here.
“We are not going to bow to pressure from the media, bow to pressure from politicians, and do something that we never do—not under this administration, not under the last administration. So no, we are not investigating.”
The DOJ’s stance on the Good shooting marks a notable departure from federal actions in the aftermath of Floyd’s death in Minneapolis in 2020. In the Floyd case, the Justice Department and FBI quickly launched a civil rights investigation.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), the state agency that would normally assist in such investigations, initially joined the FBI in examining the shooting of Good but was blocked from accessing evidence, including forensic materials, case files and witness interviews, after federal authorities reversed course and said the FBI would lead the inquiry alone. This means the BCA can no longer obtain the materials necessary to conduct a thorough and independent investigation and effectively prevents a parallel Minnesota probe.
According to sources who spoke to The Washington Post, FBI agents in Minnesota moved quickly after Good’s death, initiating steps toward a civil rights investigation into the immigration officer who shot her. An initial assessment by an FBI agent concluded that the circumstances surrounding the shooting met the threshold for opening a civil rights inquiry into the conduct of Jonathan Ross, the officer involved, the sources said, requesting anonymity to discuss internal decision-making. The existence of that preliminary investigation contrasts with public remarks by Blanche.
The Justice Department has opened a separate criminal investigation into Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, examining whether their public statements opposing the federal immigration enforcement surge in Minneapolis could amount to a conspiracy to impede federal officers from carrying out their duties, according to multiple news sources
What People Are Saying
The family of Renee Good said in a statement: “She was our best friend with a seemingly infinite capacity for love. Nae-Nae gave everything she had to take care of her friends and family, and indeed people she never met. If there was any celebration for any one of us, Nae amplified it. If there was sorrow, she was with you for all of it. Nae found joy in others being comforted and was herself a fountain of comfort. She was our protector, our shoulder to cry on, and our scintillating source of joy.”
Antonio M. Romanucci, an attorney for Good’s family, said in a statement: “People in Minneapolis and across this country truly, truly care about what happened to Renee Good on January 7, 2026, and are committed to understanding how she could have been killed on the street after dropping her child off at school. They want to know what could and should have been done to let Renee live and pick her child up safely from school that afternoon. As often as possible, our team will promptly and transparently provide updates on what we learn. We are committed to providing Good transparency and Good accountability, which we ultimately hope leads to Good policing. We will be that voice.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, in an official statement on January 7: “An officer…acted quickly and defensively shot to protect himself and the people around him. My understanding is she was hit, and is deceased. These vehicle rammings are domestic acts of terrorism.”
President Donald Trump said on CBS’ Evening News on Tuesday about Good: “I would bet you that she, under normal circumstances, was a very solid, wonderful person, but her actions were pretty tough.”
