Dwain Northey (Gen X)

Because forgetting her would be forgetting why this matters.

On January 7, 2026, in south Minneapolis, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, mother of three, and neighbor named Renee Nicole Good was shot and killed by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent during a federal immigration enforcement operation. 

She wasn’t a criminal on a wanted list. She wasn’t “armed.” She was a citizen in her community. Local police said there was no indication she was the target of any enforcement action that day. 

Yet the story spun outward in a very different direction: federal officials insisted her vehicle posed a threat — claiming she tried to use it against officers — and the Department of Homeland Security, led by Secretary Kristi Noem, even described the incident in terms of security threats. 

But eyewitnesses, multiple bystander videos, and local leaders dispute that framing. The footage — including cellphone clips released publicly — shows Good calmly in her vehicle, at times saying things like, “That’s fine, dude — I’m not mad at you,” before being shot. 

Local officials have been blunt: Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has called the idea that she posed a genuine threat “bull-—-.” 

Who Was Renee?

She wasn’t a statistic. According to family, friends, and her wife:

✨ A mother of three — her youngest just six years old. 

✨ Described as kind, loving, compassionate, someone who “literally sparkled.” 

✨ A poet, creative thinker, neighbor, and once a community volunteer who cared about the people around her. 

Good and her wife had simply been supporting neighbors during the federal operation — and like thousands watching the videos, many saw a citizen trying to get out of a frightening situation, not to attack law enforcement. 

Why There’s Outrage

This isn’t just another headline:

🛑 The federal narrative — that she posed a deadly threat — clashes with multiple video angles and witness accounts that show a woman who didn’t appear to be attacking officers. 

🛑 Local leaders rejected the self-defense claim and demanded federal agents leave the city. 

🛑 The investigation became a flashpoint: state prosecutors sought access to evidence that federal authorities controlled — raising questions about transparency and accountability. 

🛑 Across the U.S., tens of thousands protested under banners like “ICE Out For Good,” linking this moment to broader concerns about immigration enforcement and use of force. 

This Is Not Ancient History — It’s Now

Days after her death:

📍 Protests have spread to cities nationwide, from Minneapolis to Philadelphia to Portland, with people demanding justice and an end to lethal force and unchecked federal policing. 

📍 Vigils have been held in small towns and big cities, with chants like “Say her name” echoing at rallies. 

📍 Lawmakers in Congress are debating consequences for ICE actions and demanding full investigations. 

Even now, questions about what truly happened in those final moments are contested — and that dispute is part of the reason we cannot let her name fade. 

Remember Her Humanity

Renee Nicole Good wasn’t a threat.

She was a neighbor, a mother, a partner, a friend — someone whose life was cut short in a moment that continues to fracture trust between communities and the federal government. 

Her death has become a rallying cry for accountability and for demanding that government power not be wielded without transparency or regard for human life.

So let’s not just remember the incident.

Let’s remember the person:

✦ Her name: Renee Nicole Good

✦ Her story: one of compassion, community, and a life that mattered.

And let’s make sure it echoes, because forgetting her would mean forgetting why justice matters.