Renee Nicole Good

Their life

Renee Nicole Good was a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, a mother of three, a poet, writer, and devoted Christian who had recently moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota. Known by family and neighbors as compassionate and kind, she cared deeply for those around her and was described as someone who “took care of people all her life.” She loved singing, writing poetry, and had studied English at Old Dominion University, where she graduated in 2020. On the morning of her death, she had reportedly just dropped her six-year-old son at school before encountering ICE agents in her neighborhood.

Renee Nicole Good was born in Colorado and spent much of her life there before moving to Minnesota in the past year, where she lived in the Twin Cities with her partner. She was the mother of three children—two from her first marriage, aged 15 and 12, and a six-year-old whose father died in 2023. Her family described her life as “a good life, but a hard life,” marked by personal loss and perseverance.

Good was deeply religious and participated in Christian youth mission trips to Northern Ireland when she was younger. She loved music and singing, took part in a high-school chorus, and studied vocal performance in college before earning an English degree from Old Dominion University. She identified herself as a poet, writer, wife, and mother, and once hosted a podcast with her late second husband. Neighbors and former acquaintances emphasized that she was not an extremist, but a caring community member who loved her children and family.

How they died

She was Shot and killed by gunfire from a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent.

Renee Nicole Good was shot inside her vehicle when an ICE agent opened fire as her maroon SUV attempted to drive away during an immigration enforcement operation. Video footage shows agents approaching her car, one attempting to open the driver’s door, and another agent positioned in front of the vehicle. As the vehicle moved, the agent fired multiple shots through the windshield. Good lost control of the vehicle and crashed into parked cars. She died from gunshot wounds sustained during the incident.

A plea from the family

Family members described Renee as “extremely compassionate,” “loving, forgiving, and affectionate,” and rejected claims that she posed a threat. Her mother, Donna Ganger, emphasized that Renee was not the type of person to confront law enforcement and had spent her life caring for others. Relatives and community members called for accountability, compassion, and justice, as they mourned her death during what they described as one of the darkest periods in the nation’s history.

Why we remember them

This record exists so that Renee Nicole Good, and all who are named in this archive, are never reduced to a number.

References & sources