Renee Good Was Trained ‘ICE Watch’ ‘Warrior,’ Locals Say

Community members in Minneapolis are shedding new light on Renee Nicole Good, the woman fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer on Wednesday. While her family initially denied she was involved in anti-ICE activities, residents close to the activist scene are telling a different story.

Good, 37, was reportedly part of a local “ICE Watch” team — an organized group that trains members to monitor and disrupt immigration enforcement operations. According to vigil attendees and acquaintances, the group’s mission was to “document and resist” ICE agents in the field.

“She was a warrior. She died doing what was right,” said a woman named Leesa, whose child attends the same leftist charter school as Good’s son. That school, according to locals, encourages political engagement and has been a hub for grassroots activism.

Leesa claimed Good was trained in methods to interact with ICE agents — including how to follow commands, assert one’s rights, and signal other activists using whistles. “It’s a very thorough training,” she added. “She was trained against these ICE agents.”

Kristin Peter, a 30-year-old county worker, said Good had worked closely with one of her coworkers on the same ICE Watch team. “They would eat meals together,” Peter recalled, noting that she was planning to attend a meeting for the group the very next day.

Rashad Rich, a former gym teacher at Southside Charter School, also weighed in. “From my understanding, she was involved in social justice. We are a tight-knit community and a lot of parents are [activists],” he said.

Good’s death occurred after ICE officers encountered her vehicle blocking a roadway. Video footage showed officers approaching her and appearing to give verbal commands. She reversed briefly, then drove forward. One ICE officer standing in front of the vehicle opened fire after the car made contact.

Homeland Security labeled the incident an act of domestic terrorism. The Trump administration said the officer acted in self-defense after Good used her vehicle as a weapon. However, Democrats like NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani have described the shooting as “murder.”

The Department of Homeland Security linked the rise in violence against ICE agents to the rhetoric of so-called “sanctuary politicians.” In a statement, DHS cited a 1,300% increase in assaults on agents, a 3,200% rise in vehicle attacks, and an 8,000% spike in death threats.

“I watched the video plenty of times,” said Leesa. “But I also know in my heart the woman she was — she was doing everything right.”

Federal authorities continue to investigate the incident.