In Minneapolis, a U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) officer fatally shot a U.S. citizen named Renee Nicole Good in her vehicle, sparking conflicting narratives between the White House and video evidence. President Donald Trump, Vice-President JD Vance, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claim that Good intentionally drove her vehicle into the ICE officer, prompting him to shoot in self-defense. However, three verified videos from the scene contradict these assertions, raising doubts about the justification of the shooting.
The videos show Good’s burgundy SUV parked on Portland Avenue, with two ICE officers approaching and ordering her to exit the vehicle. As the SUV briefly reverses, a third officer steps in front of it. Good maneuvers her vehicle forward, and the third officer fires what appears to be three shots. Contrary to the official statements, none of the videos depict Good’s vehicle running over the officer.
Shortly after the incident, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Noem blamed Good, labeling her actions as an attempted attack on law enforcement. Trump also defended the officer’s actions on social media, alleging that Good was aggressive and posed a threat. However, the video evidence does not support these claims.
Vance strongly maintains that the shooting was justified, attributing Good’s death to her actions. He emphasized that the video footage clearly shows Good targeting the officer with her vehicle before shots were fired. Nevertheless, various officials in Minneapolis challenge this narrative, highlighting discrepancies between the videos and the White House’s version of events.
Experts, including law professor John Gross, argue that the videos do not align with the claims of domestic terrorism made by officials. Gross pointed out that the evidence suggests the officer fired shots while beside the vehicle, contradicting the narrative of self-defense put forth by the White House.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey have criticized the premature judgments made by high-ranking officials, expressing concerns about the objectivity of the FBI investigation into the incident. The conflicting accounts and the video evidence have raised questions about the transparency and independence of the inquiry.