Renee Good’s family sues government, top Trump officials and ICE officer who shot her
The family of Renee Good has filed two federal civil lawsuits alleging wrongful death and excessive force, their attorney announced Thursday, nine months after she was fatally shot by an immigration officer in Minneapolis.
The family of Renee Good has filed two federal civil lawsuits alleging wrongful death and excessive force, their attorney announced Thursday, nine months after she was fatally shot by an immigration officer in Minneapolis. One lawsuit seeks to hold the United States liable under the Federal Tort Claims Act for the actions of federal agents. It alleges wrongful death, battery, assault, false imprisonment, emotional distress, and negligence.
The second suit names Jonathan Ross, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer who shot Good, as well as several federal officials, including White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Good, 37, was fatally shot in the driver’s seat of her SUV during a Jan. 7 encounter with Ross. The killing occurred about a month after the Trump administration surged 3,000 immigration agents to the Twin Cities in what officials have dubbed Operation Metro Surge.
Agents descended on Minnesota after right-wing influencers renewed scrutiny in a state fraud scandal involving Somali nationals. The operation triggered massive protests and significant pushback from state leaders. It ended in February. The shooting was captured on cellphone video. It showed Good’s partner, Becca Good, standing outside the SUV calling Ross “big boy” and telling him to remove the covering from his face.
Other officers at the scene could be heard telling Good to get out of the car. In the video, Good is seen turning the steering wheel away from Ross and beginning to drive. Multiple gunshots can be heard in the video before Good’s SUV crashes into a parked car. In a separate video recorded by Ross, a male voice could be heard saying “f---ing b----” moments before the crash. Trump administration figures, including President Donald Trump and Noem, defended Ross’ actions and claimed Good was an agitator who tried to run the officer over with her vehicle.
Witnesses told NBC News at the time that Ross didn’t appear to be in the direct path of the SUV. Noem said Ross was treated at a hospital for injuries he sustained in the incident and was released soon after. A DHS official previously told NBC News that Ross sustained internal bleeding but did not elaborate on his injuries. Weeks after Good’s killing, Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, was shot and killed in Minneapolis by Customs and Border Protection agents.