Renee Nicole Good, the 37-year-old woman fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis, was the mother of three children. As investigations continue into the circumstances surrounding her death, family members, neighbors and friends have emphasized that beyond the headlines, Good was a devoted and loving parent whose children were at the center of her life.
Born in Colorado, Good spent most of her life there before moving to Minnesota last year with her partner and children. After the death of her husband, a military veteran, she briefly moved to Kansas to live with her parents, according to her father, Tim Ganger, who described her life as “a good life, but a hard life.”
Despite personal losses, Good continued to focus on her children and her family. She described herself on social media as a “poet and writer and wife and mom,” identities that friends say she lived out daily.
How many children did Renee Nicole Good have?
Renee Nicole Good was a mother of three, according to her family and reporting from The Associated Press and the Minnesota Star Tribune.
- Two older children, ages 15 and 12, were from her first marriage.
- Her youngest child, a 6-year-old son, was from a later relationship.
The 6-year-old son
On the morning of the shooting, Good had reportedly just dropped off her 6-year-old son at school when she encountered ICE agents, her ex-husband told the Associated Press. The boy’s father died in 2023, leaving Renee as his primary caregiver.
Following her death, the child’s grandfather told the Star Tribune that there was “nobody else in his life,” underscoring the profound impact the tragedy has had on the youngest member of the family and raising urgent questions about his care moving forward.
Her older children
Good’s two older children, now 15 and 12, were born during her first marriage. While fewer personal details about them have been made public to protect their privacy, neighbors in Minneapolis recalled seeing children’s sidewalk chalk drawings outside the family’s home during the summer, a small but poignant reminder of the everyday family life that was suddenly shattered.
A devoted mother
Family members consistently described Good as deeply compassionate and devoted to her children. Her mother, Donna Ganger, told the Star Tribune that Renee “took care of people all her life” and was loving, forgiving and affectionate.
Neighbors echoed that image. One resident told CNN that Good had a “really sweet family,” recalling how her young son would sometimes ask to pet their dog. Another neighbor said seeing the family around the neighborhood made the loss especially painful. “I can’t imagine that they came home and their mom isn’t going to be there anymore,” the neighbor said through tears.
