The Associated Press identified the immigration officer who shot and killed a Minneapolis woman last week as Jonathan Ross, a deportation officer who has spent nearly two decades with U.S. Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to court records.
During a confrontation with federal agents, Ross, a deportation officer with ICE since 2015, fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Nicole Macklin Good on Wednesday, Jan. 7, as she sat in her car. Good, a lesbian and mother of three, died at the scene.
Records reviewed by the AP show Ross, an Iraq War veteran, previously served in the U.S. Border Patrol and was seriously injured last summer when he was dragged by the vehicle of a fleeing suspect during an unrelated encounter.
Good’s death has sparked widespread outrage and mourning, particularly within LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities. A GoFundMe campaign launched by family friends to cover funeral and living expenses raised more than $1.5 million from more than 38,000 donors before the organizers closed it this week. Organizers said the funds will be placed into a trust for Good’s family and asked that those who want to help contribute to other families ICE has hurt.
In a statement on the GoFundMe page, Good’s wife, Becca Good, remembered her with adoration: “Renee sparkled,” she said. “She was made of sunshine.”
Becca said the couple moved to Minnesota seeking safety and community and believed they had found it in Minneapolis. “Here, I had finally found peace and safe harbor,” she said. “That has been taken from me forever.”
Good leaves behind three children, including a six-year-old son that lived with her and Becca. Becca has asked for privacy as the family grieves, and she urged the public to honor Good’s legacy by rejecting hate and choosing compassion.
The fatal shooting came amid heightened tensions surrounding immigration enforcement in Minneapolis. On the same day Good was killed, armed U.S. Border Patrol officers were seen outside Roosevelt High School during student dismissal, tackling people, handcuffing two staff members and deploying chemical agents on bystanders, according to MPR News.
Minneapolis Public Schools canceled classes for two days following the incident, citing safety concerns. District officials said in-person learning will start up again on Monday, Jan. 12, with optional online instruction available through mid-February for families who request it.
Texas protests grow, more planned
Good’s killing has fueled protests across the country, including here in Texas where hundreds gathered Thursday evening, Jan. 8, at Dallas City Hall Plaza to mourn her death and call for ICE to leave the city. The rally was peaceful and marked by chants demanding an end to federal immigration crackdowns.
Similar demonstrations have since taken place in Tyler, Denton, Southlake, Fort Worth, Waco and other North Texas cities. In Tyler, the Smith County Young Democrats organized a protest that drew about 40 people to Bergfeld Park, according to KLTV.
More demonstrations are scheduled throughout the region and beyond. Stand Up America organized a walkout on Jan. 20 at Houston City Hall as part of a national day of action, with organizers saying the protest is meant to “remember Renee Nicole Good” and demand accountability for what they describe as a pattern of unchecked violence by ICE.
Other protests organized by Indivisible volunteers are planned in Frisco and Shreveport.
The nationwide demonstrations intensified after another federal shooting Thursday, Jan. 8, in Portland, Ore., where a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent shot and injured two people during a vehicle stop. Both remain hospitalized and in federal custody. Oregon’s attorney general has opened an investigation into that incident.
For many protesters, the shootings have become emblematic of broader concerns about federal immigration enforcement and its impact on community safety.
“We honor her memory by living her values,” Becca’s statement says. “Rejecting hate and choosing compassion, turning away from fear and pursuing peace, refusing division and knowing we must come together to build a world where we all come home safe to the people we love.”
UPDATE: Congressional Equality Caucus statement
The 12 Co-Chairs of the Congressional Equality Caucus have released the following joint statement:
“Renee Nicole Good was a wife, mother, poet, singer, member of the LGBTQI+ community and United States citizen. Her tragic killing will forever be a stain on the moral fabric of our nation. We solemnly join Renee’s friends, loved ones — including her wife and young children — and community in Minnesota in mourning this heartbreaking loss.
“We must demand accountability from the Trump administration and fight for justice for Renee. Federal authorities must allow a full, transparent, and independent investigation that involves state and local law enforcement agencies in order for justice to be served and to ensure these senseless acts of violence never happen ever again.”
— Caroline Savoie