Family Member of Woman Shot by ICE in Minnesota says she deserved it...

Minneapolis, MN — January 8, 2026

A family member's blunt assessment that a woman fatally shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent "should have minded her own business" has added a layer of controversy to an already tense incident that sparked protests and sharp clashes between federal and local officials.

Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three and U.S. citizen, was killed on Wednesday morning in south Minneapolis when an ICE agent fired into her SUV during a large-scale immigration enforcement operation. The shooting occurred near 34th Street and Portland Avenue in the city's Central neighborhood, just blocks from where Good lived with her partner.

Joseph Macklin, the former brother-in-law of Good and brother of her late ex-husband Tim Macklin Jr. (an Air Force veteran who died in 2023), told reporters that Good had no direct involvement in the immigration activities and should have stayed out of the situation.

"She had no reason to be there, in my opinion," Macklin said. "It had nothing to do with her. She shouldn't have been in the way... She should have minded her own business." He acknowledged the heartbreak of families affected by immigration enforcement but maintained that Good's actions put her in harm's way, adding, "I wish she would’ve minded her business and stayed out the way."

Macklin noted that Good shared a 6-year-old son with his brother, while her two older children from a previous relationship are in their father's custody.

In contrast, Good's mother, Donna Ganger, vehemently rejected suggestions that her daughter was involved in protests or confrontations with agents. "That's so stupid," Ganger told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. "Renee was one of the kindest people I've ever known." Ganger described her daughter as simply in the area, denying any role in opposing ICE operations.

Federal authorities, including the Department of Homeland Security, defended the shooting as self-defense, claiming Good "weaponized her vehicle" in an attempt to run over agents, describing it as an "act of domestic terrorism." DHS Secretary Kristi Noem stated the agent acted after being struck by the vehicle.However, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz strongly disputed this account, citing video footage of the incident. "That is bullshit," Frey said, accusing federal officials of spinning a false narrative. Walz urged the public not to believe what he called a "propaganda machine."

Bystander videos show agents approaching Good's SUV, with one attempting to open the door before she began to drive forward. An agent then fired multiple shots at close range, after which the vehicle crashed into a parked car.

The incident unfolded amid a massive federal immigration crackdown announced earlier in the week, with thousands of ICE agents deployed nationwide. Protests erupted in Minneapolis following the shooting, including vigils and demonstrations calling for ICE to leave the city. Schools were closed for safety concerns, and similar rallies occurred in other U.S. cities.

Good, a poet and writer who had recently moved to Minnesota from Missouri, was remembered by local officials as a resident "out caring for her neighbors." An FBI investigation is underway.The divided family statements underscore the polarized reactions to the shooting, as debates intensify over federal immigration enforcement in Democratic-led cities. 17GEN4.com