Camilla Jessen
White House defends agent after fatal Minneapolis shooting.
Vice President JD Vance blamed Renee Nicole Good for her own death during a White House press briefing on Thursday, January 8.
The 37-year-old mother of three was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis the previous day.
Vance described the incident as “an attack on federal law enforcement” and “the American people,” while forcefully defending the agent involved, Jonathan Ross.
“He shot back, he defended himself,” Vance said, adding: “Everybody who has been repeating the lie that this was some innocent woman… you should be ashamed of yourselves, every single one of you.”
Claims of extremism
During the briefing, Vance accused Good of being “part of a broader left-wing network to attack, to dox, to assault and to make it impossible for our ICE officers to do their job.”
He claimed she tried “to ram this guy with her car.”
While acknowledging the death was tragic, Vance said: “It’s a tragedy, but it’s a tragedy of the making of the far-left.”
Earlier, he posted similar remarks on X, writing: “A tragedy? Absolutely. But a tragedy that falls on this woman and all of the radicals who teach people that immigration is the one type of law that rioters are allowed to interfere with.”
Family disputes narrative
Good’s ex-husband told the Associated Press that she was returning home after dropping off her six-year-old son at school when she encountered ICE agents. He said she was not an activist and had never participated in protests to his knowledge.
Her mother, Donna Ganger, also rejected the administration’s claims.
Responding to allegations that her daughter was a “domestic terrorist,” she told The Minneapolis Star Tribune: “That’s so stupid. She was probably terrified.”
Officials push back
President Donald Trump described the incident on Truth Social as “a horrible thing to watch,” claiming the officer “seems to have shot her in self defense.” DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said Good had “weaponized her vehicle.”
However, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called the White House account “bulls—” and told ICE to “get the f— out” of the city. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz wrote on X: “I’ve seen the video. Don’t believe this propaganda machine.”
Investigations by the Department of Homeland Security are ongoing.
Sources: Associated Press, Minneapolis Star Tribune, DHS, White House briefings
