Kathrine Frich
Memories of George Floyd’s death and the nationwide push for police accountability still linger.
Yet in a more recent case involving federal immigration agents, the outcome looks starkly different.
Unlike the police officer convicted and jailed after Floyd’s killing, a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent who shot and killed a woman in the same city now stands poised to benefit financially from online support.
That contrast has sharpened debates about how officers and agents are treated under the law, and how money now flows in the aftermath of a fatal encounter.
A death and protests
Renee Good, a mother of three and a US citizen, was fatally shot by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Jonathan Ross on 7 January in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
She was hit four times, in the chest, arm and head. Paramedics attempted to save her, but she was pronounced dead 48 minutes after they arrived.
Her death triggered protests across the United States and renewed scrutiny of ICE operations and use-of-force standards.
Fundraisers multiply
A GoFundMe page set up for Good’s widow and family raised about $1.5 million, according to figures cited by US media.
Separate fundraisers were also created in support of Ross, who has not returned to work since the shooting.
Combined, those pages have raised more than $1 million, meaning the agent could become a millionaire if he gains access to the funds.
Billionaire backlash
Hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman confirmed on X earlier this week that he was the “top donator” to one of the fundraisers for Ross.
“My donation to Ross has been characterised in social media by the press as my ‘giving a reward to the murderer of Renee Good’ likely in an effort to generate clicks and boost virality, and by some to advance their political objectives,” he wrote.
Ackman said he had been “widely reviled (and worse)” following the donation and claimed he had attempted to give money to Good’s family but found their page closed.
Organiser claims
The main fundraiser for Ross describes Good as a “domestic terrorist” and argues the agent “deserves a fundraiser”.
An update on the page states that contact has been made with Ross and that “arrangements are being put into place to transfer the funds as the officer wishes”.
The language used on the page has drawn criticism from activists and Good’s supporters.
Investigation and reactions
Video footage of the incident shows Ross allegedly insulting Good after the shots were fired, according to reports.
The FBI has opened an investigation. Former president Donald Trump, JD Vance and homeland security secretary Kristi Noem have said the agent acted in self-defence.
“There are a couple versions of that tape that are very, very bad,” Trump told CBS, adding that under “normal circumstances” Good was likely “a very solid, wonderful person”.
Good’s wife described her as “pure love”, “pure joy” and “pure sunshine”, saying the family wants her legacy to be one of kindness and compassion.
Sources: LADbible, CBS News, statements posted on X
