The family of a woman fatally shot by a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer during a protest in Minneapolis has received an outpouring of financial support, with donations exceeding $1.5 million.
A Rapidly Growing Fundraiser
A GoFundMe campaign established to support Renee Nicole Good's wife, Rebecca, and her three children swiftly surpassed its initial $50,000 target. In just two days, nearly 38,000 donations flooded in, with one anonymous contributor giving $50,000 alone. The fundraiser's organisers expressed being "brokenhearted and in awe of your generosity" in an update.
Co-organiser Becka Tilsen, a friend of the family, wrote: "My family met Renee and Becca after they moved to town and become fast friends. Thank you again for your compassion. They feel this tidal wave of care and it really matters." The campaign was created to help the family grapple with the "devastating loss of their wife and mother."
Contested Circumstances of the Shooting
The incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon when ICE agent Jonathan 'Jon' Ross shot Good three times. Authorities state Ross fired after Good allegedly ignored demands to exit her SUV and he believed she intended to run him over. Video footage shows Ross approaching the stationary Honda Pilot, grabbing the door handle, and then firing three shots as the vehicle began to move forward.
The shooting has ignited fierce political debate. The Trump administration, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, has firmly defended Ross's actions as self-defense by an experienced officer. Vice President JD Vance stated the shooting was justified, calling Good a "victim of left-wing ideology."
Conversely, the act has provoked global outrage, with many Democrats labelling Ross a murderer. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey dismissed the self-defense claim as "garbage," based on video evidence. The FBI is now investigating the deadly use of force, and Minnesota authorities are seeking their own probe, with some protesters demanding criminal charges.
Background and Aftermath
Renee and Rebecca Good had moved their family to Minneapolis last year. Reports indicate they initially fled the United States for Canada following Donald Trump's 2024 election victory before settling in Minnesota. Good had reportedly become involved with a local "ICE Watch" activist group.
In harrowing footage from the scene, Rebecca Good admitted, "I made her come down here, it's my fault," suggesting she encouraged her wife's presence at the protest. Witnesses claimed the couple were acting as legal observers, though Good's mother has disputed that her daughter would participate in such protests.
Agent Ross is an Iraq War veteran with nearly two decades in Border Patrol and ICE. He was seriously injured just six months prior in a separate incident where he was dragged by a car, requiring 33 stitches. The investigation into Wednesday's events continues as the nation wrestles with deep divisions over immigration policy and law enforcement.
