The ongoing investigation into the January 7, 2026, fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis has revealed new details about her actions in the moments leading up to the deadly confrontation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. According to sources familiar with the probe, Renee Good made a phone call just before the incident that escalated tensions on Portland Avenue in south Minneapolis. The call, which lasted several minutes and was identified as being from her partner Becca Good, has become a focal point in assessments of her driving behavior and its potential role in the sequence of events.
The encounter occurred amid a massive ICE operation in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area, part of the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement push following his second inauguration. On that snowy morning, Renee Good’s burgundy Honda Pilot SUV was positioned perpendicular to traffic on a one-way residential street, partially blocking the road. Witnesses and video footage indicate the couple had stopped to support neighbors amid reports of ICE activity in the area, though the exact reason for the blockage remains disputed.
Cellphone video recorded by ICE agent Jonathan Ross—later released and verified by multiple outlets—captures the critical seconds. Ross exits his vehicle, walks around Good’s SUV while filming its license plate, and approaches the driver’s side. Renee Good, visible through the open window, looks directly at him and says calmly, “That’s fine, dude. I’m not mad at you.” Her partner, Becca, stands nearby recording on her own phone, urging transparency and making comments about the agents’ presence.
According to investigative findings, Renee Good had been on a call with Becca shortly before or during the initial positioning of the vehicle. The conversation, described as ongoing for several minutes, allegedly involved coordinating their response to the ICE presence in the neighborhood. Officials examining phone records and witness statements have concluded that this distracted driving—using a handheld phone while maneuvering the SUV—contributed significantly to the vehicle’s awkward positioning and the subsequent escalation.
The call’s duration and timing have fueled claims that it was the primary reason for Renee Good’s “job loss” in the broader context of the incident’s aftermath. Sources indicate that Renee, a mother of three known for her community involvement and compassionate nature, had been employed in a role that required strict adherence to traffic and safety regulations—possibly related to her volunteer or professional activities supporting local causes. The distracted driving allegation, tied directly to the phone use during the critical moments, has been cited in internal reviews as a factor that undermined her credibility in post-incident narratives and may have impacted any professional standing she held.
As the SUV began to move—first reversing briefly, then accelerating forward while turning the wheel to the right—Ross, still holding his phone in one hand, shouted “Whoa!” and fired three shots through the windshield. The vehicle continued down the street, crashing into a parked car. Renee was pronounced dead at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds, including to the chest, forearm, and possibly the head, according to fire department and police reports. The agent, Jonathan Ross, a veteran with nearly two decades in Border Patrol and ICE, sustained internal bleeding to his torso after being struck by the vehicle, though the extent of contact remains contested between official accounts and bystander videos.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has maintained that Ross acted in self-defense, fearing for his life as the SUV allegedly attempted to run him over—an act labeled “domestic terrorism” in early statements. President Trump and administration officials have defended the agent’s actions, pointing to the released footage as evidence. However, the phone call revelation has intensified scrutiny. Critics argue that if Renee was distracted by coordinating with her partner amid perceived threats from federal agents, it reframes the incident as a response to intimidation rather than aggression.
Renee’s family and supporters portray her as “one of the kindest people,” a loving mother who cared for others throughout her life. Her mother, Donna Ganger, described her as compassionate and forgiving. Becca Good has stated that Renee lived by a belief in nurturing kindness in the world. The couple’s decision to stop and document the ICE activity aligns with their values of community support, though it tragically intersected with a high-tension federal operation.
The case has sparked nationwide protests, with calls from Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Governor Tim Walz for ICE to withdraw from the city. Democratic lawmakers have demanded criminal proceedings against Ross, while leaked agent information and clashes have heightened tensions. The phone call detail adds another layer: was it innocuous communication between partners, or evidence of distraction that played into a chain of misjudgments?
Investigators continue examining cell records, video synchronizations, and witness testimonies. The revelation that Renee Good’s final call—likely with Becca—lasted several minutes and preceded the fatal acceleration has shifted some narratives toward questions of distracted driving as a contributing factor, even as the core debate over use of deadly force rages on.
As protests persist and the investigation deepens, Renee Good’s story underscores the volatile intersection of immigration enforcement, community resistance, and everyday human moments like a phone call that can alter fates in seconds. Her loss leaves three children without a mother, a partner in grief, and a nation divided over accountability in an era of intensified federal actions.
