In a controversial move, US President Donald Trump publicly defended an agent from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Thursday. This defence came mere hours after a federal operation in Minneapolis turned deadly, resulting in the fatal shooting of a 37-year-old American woman.
Trump's Defence and the "Vicious" Scene
Addressing reporters at the White House, President Trump expressed a conflicted view. He stated he never wanted to see anyone get shot, but simultaneously emphasised that he did not want to see law enforcement officers being run over by vehicles. The President directly accused the deceased woman of violent behaviour. "She behaved horribly," Trump asserted. "And then she ran him over. She didn't try to run him over. She ran him over," he said, as reported by the New York Times.
When questioned about the protocol of firing into a vehicle, the President avoided a direct answer, instead reiterating that the situation was "vicious." He then directed an aide to display surveillance footage on a laptop. As the slow-motion video played for the press, Trump described it as "a terrible scene" and admitted, "I think it’s horrible to watch. No, I hate to see it."
Conflicting Accounts of the Fatal Encounter
The victim was identified as Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old US-born citizen. The shooting occurred during a large-scale ICE operation. According to official reports, Good was inside her car when an agent fired multiple shots at close range, killing her.
However, witness statements gathered by Minnesota Public Radio News paint a chaotic and contradictory picture of the moments leading to the gunfire. Several witnesses reported that ICE agents gave Good conflicting instructions; some told her to leave the area, while another officer attempted to open her car door. As she tried to drive away from the confusing scene, an agent opened fire. Multiple witnesses confirmed they did not see her vehicle strike any officer before the shots were fired.
Political Fallout and Calls for ICE to Leave
The incident has sparked a sharp political divide. Federal officials declared the shooting justified and announced a standard investigation. Senior figures in the Trump administration swiftly backed the agent's actions.
In stark contrast, local leaders in Minnesota strongly disputed the federal narrative. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called for ICE to leave the city, highlighting the community's distrust. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz stated that the operation underscored the inherent dangers of aggressive federal enforcement tactics within local communities.
The tragic event in Minneapolis has intensified the national debate over immigration enforcement methods, the use of lethal force, and the role of federal agents in local jurisdictions.
