Anguish again spilled into the streets of Minneapolis as hundreds gathered to remember resident Renee Good one month after a federal immigration agent shot and killed her during an enforcement operation.
The Feb. 7 memorial marked one month since an ICE agent fatally shot Good, 37, on Jan. 7 in Minneapolis. The killing triggered protests across the United States, launched parallel federal and state investigations and sparked a widening dispute over evidence access that Minnesota officials say federal authorities continue to block.
Federal officials have also described the removal of 700 immigration personnel from the region as a tactical shift rather than a full retreat.
A crowd gathered on Saturday near Powderhorn Park and the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building to honor Good’s life.
Becca Good made her first public appearance since the shooting. A rabbi read Becca's statement, which praised her partner’s kindness, volunteer work, and commitment to what she described as radical kindness. She urged the crowd to remember her partner’s humanity, not the politics surrounding her death.
Organizers also honored ICU nurse Alex Pretti, who was killed later in January in a separate incident involving federal agents.
Tribute turned into protest as demonstrators moved into downtown Minneapolis. Police arrested dozens outside the federal building during confrontations that followed.
FBI Declines To Add Further Details
Federal authorities have released few specifics about the Jan. 7 shooting.
The FBI declined to provide additional information.
“No information is available for release regarding this ongoing investigation, in accordance with DOJ policy,” the FBI Minneapolis Public Affairs Office told Military.com.
The Department of Homeland Security, ICE and the White House did not respond to Military.com’s requests for comment.
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension spokesperson Mike Ernster directed Military.com to prior public statements.
“We do not have any comment about this situation beyond these statements,” Ernster wrote.
Separate reporting has also noted that the ICE officer involved has a lengthy background in military and law enforcement service.
State Officials Demand Evidence Access
Minnesota prosecutors have demanded the federal government turn over video, physical evidence, agent statements and investigative materials related to the shooting. They set a Feb. 17 deadline for a response.
Minnesota officials announced Jan. 9 that they launched an independent state investigation and created a secure portal for the public to submit photos and videos directly to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
John Stiles, spokesperson for Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, told Military.com that Ellison urged the Justice Department to reconsider what state leaders described as an unusual refusal to collaborate or share evidence.
“Attorney General Ellison has additionally asked the Department of Justice to reconsider its unusual decision to not to collaborate with state investigators in an investigation, or failing that, to allow state investigators independent access to the evidence it has collected,” Stiles said.
Stiles added the case remains active and declined further comment.
State leaders have framed the standoff as a broader federal state showdown over transparency and oversight after the killing. Officials have also pointed readers oversight mechanisms and the BCA’s role as they argue for independent review.
State Patrol Says Role Was Limited
State law enforcement agencies confirmed they did not lead the investigation.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension initially responded and coordinated with the FBI. Federal prosecutors later informed state officials that the FBI would lead the inquiry.
Minnesota State Patrol Lt. Mike Lee told Military.com that troopers provided crowd control assistance to Minneapolis police during protests but did not investigate the shooting.
“The Minnesota State Patrol’s only response to this incident was a small number of troopers in a crowd control response assistance to Minneapolis Police Department,” Lee said.
No state agency has asserted primary investigative authority.
‘This Is a Powder Keg'
Civil liberties groups argue the shooting raises broader constitutional concerns about federal immigration enforcement and use of force.
“After a shooting like this, any properly functioning law enforcement agency would stop and seriously examine its officers’ conduct, training and protocols, and yet under this administration, we’ve seen DHS ICE double down on the violent and aggressive tactics that led to Renee’s death,” Naureen Shah, director of government affairs at the American Civil Liberties Union, told Military.com.
“This is a powder keg and our communities are the ones who are going to be harmed,” she added.
The ACLU and its Minnesota affiliate have filed lawsuits challenging federal enforcement operations, alleging excessive force, unlawful arrests and racial profiling.
Autopsy Ruling Intensifies Fallout
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner ruled Good’s death a homicide—a medical classification that indicates a death was caused by another person but does not determine criminal liability.
Official reports said an ICE agent fired at Good’s SUV during the enforcement operation, striking her multiple times.
An independent autopsy commissioned by the family reported three gunshot wounds, including one to the head.
Protests that began in Minneapolis spread to other cities. Authorities arrested at least 42 people on Feb. 7 outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building during anniversary demonstrations.
Mounting pressure prompted federal officials to announce a partial drawdown. A White House border official said 700 ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers would withdraw from Minnesota. Roughly 2,000 federal personnel remain deployed in the region.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a Democrat, has questioned federal assurances and called for greater transparency.
The Fight Over Accountability
State and federal investigations remain active. Officials have announced no charging decisions and provided no timeline for findings. Federal authorities have not disclosed whether the ICE agent remains on duty.
The Justice Department has not outlined the scope of its review. Federal officials have not publicly disclosed whether any grand jury review is underway.
Minnesota officials continue to maintain their separate evidence portal while pressing for access to materials held by federal investigators.
