Renee Good killing: Family hires George Floyd law firm as Trump softens stance on ICE shooting | Today News

The family of Renee Good, a 37-year-old Minneapolis mother of three fatally shot by a federal immigration officer, has accused immigration agents of killing her as she attempted to comply with their instructions, announcing they have retained the same law firm that represented the family of George Floyd to seek answers and accountability. The move comes as President Donald Trump adopted a more conciliatory public tone on the shooting, describing it as “sad to see on both sides”.

“What happened to Renee is wrong,” the firm said, adding that it intends to share its findings “on a rolling basis” because it believes the community is not receiving adequate information through official channels.

The firm is now representing Renee Good’s partner, Becca Good, as well as her parents and siblings.

The family’s announcement came the same week the US Justice Department said it found no basis to open a federal civil rights investigation into the shooting. An FBI investigation into Renee Good’s death remains ongoing.

At the same time, roughly half a dozen federal prosecutors in Minnesota resigned this week, while several supervisors in the criminal section of the Civil Rights Division in Washington submitted notices of departure, according to people familiar with the matter.

The ICE agent who fired the shots has been identified as Jonathan Ross, an Iraq War veteran who has served as a deportation officer since 2015.

Romanucci & Blandin said the family is seeking clarity on why federal officers were in the neighbourhood on January 7, how they conducted themselves during the encounter, and whether there were delays in providing medical assistance after the shooting.

According to her partner and relatives, Renee and Becca Good had just dropped off their six-year-old child at school on January 7 and stopped after noticing law enforcement activity in the area. Video footage shows Renee sitting in a red SUV positioned perpendicular to the road, partially blocking traffic, while repeatedly pressing the horn.

A short time later, a truck carrying immigration officers arrived. Two officers exited the vehicle, and one ordered Renee Good to open her door. She briefly reversed, then turned the steering wheel towards the passenger side as the officer again instructed her to “get out of the car.”

At nearly the same moment, Becca Good—standing on the passenger side and attempting to open the door—can be heard shouting: “drive, baby, drive!”

The SUV then moved forward, and gunshots rang out as an officer standing in front of the vehicle opened fire.

In a statement to Minnesota Public Radio, Becca Good said the couple had stopped to support their neighbours: “We had whistles. They had guns.”

In contrast to earlier remarks, President Trump adopted a notably restrained approach when asked about the shooting during a Reuters interview in the Oval Office on Wednesday.

“I don't get into right or wrong. I know that it was a tough situation to be in,” Trump said of the officer. “There was very little respect shown to the police, in this case, the ICE officers.”

“It’s so sad to see on both sides,” he added.

This tone marked a shift from Trump’s initial response on Truth Social, where he had described Renee Good as “a professional agitator” who “violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE Officer,” saying it appeared the shooting was an act of self-defence.

When asked whether he would pardon Ross if he were charged and convicted, Trump declined to speculate.

“I think that we're gonna have to see what happens. That was a very unfortunate incident. We're just going to see what happens,” he said.

Trump confirmed that his administration would continue deploying ICE officers to US cities, arguing the strategy is necessary to combat crime, despite violent confrontations linked to recent enforcement surges.

ICE data show that many individuals arrested during the administration’s intensified immigration crackdown have no criminal charges or prior convictions.