The fatal shooting of mother of three, Renee Nicole Good, is the subject of a bitter debate over whether or not she posed a threat to the US immigration agent who shot her – and, in turn, if that officer acted within the law.
The Trump administration, led by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, has insisted that Ms Good was engaged in an “act of domestic terrorism” by deliberately driving her car at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent who fired “defensive shots” on Wednesday morning in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
But video footage of the incident, verified by The i Paper, appears to cast considerable doubt on this narrative. The footage also opens questions over whether the ICE operative could face prosecution should evidence suggest he failed to adhere to rules requiring officers to use only “reasonable force”.
Here is a minute-by-minute reconstruction of the events surrounding Ms Good’s death.
Wednesday 7 January – morning
ICE is Donald Trump’s tool of choice for making good on his election promise to achieve the mass deportation of illegal immigrants – reaching into the millions.
Its agents, who have sweeping powers to stop and detain individuals suspected of immigration offences, have spread out across multiple American cities in recent months to conduct immigration detention operations and meet arrest quotas.
One such operation was being conducted in central Minneapolis early on Wednesday, rapidly attracting the attention of a group of protesters after one of the ICE vehicles apparently became stuck in snow.
9.35am
A maroon Honda SUV being driven by Ms Good, 37, an award-winning poet, is seen partially parked across Portland Avenue, a road in central Minneapolis. Bystanders and protesters shout criticism of ICE agents in unmarked vehicles that have stopped on the street which is lined by houses.
Back at Homeland Security HQ, Noem later claimed the Honda had been “blocking the officers in”.
However, the footage shows several cars, including a silver SUV later identified as an ICE vehicle, passing Ms Good’s car as she appears to usher traffic forward.
9.36:51am
A number of federal agents have left their vehicles. One of them walks behind Ms Good’s car, holding a phone to film a roadside protester who is remonstrating with him. The demonstrator, who has been identified in US media reports as Ms Good’s partner, is in turn filming the agent.
This is the officer who will shortly open fire. He disappears from view in the camera footage, apparently walking around the maroon Honda from the rear and passing on the passenger side.
9.37:08am
In the meantime, another ICE officer who has exited a Nissan Titan pick-up truck is seen quickly approaching the maroon Honda, ordering Good to “get out of the car”.
As this officer reaches the car, he appears to try to open the driver’s door. At the same time, the SUV has been put into reverse gear and moves backwards a few feet before then changing gear again and starting to move forward, its driver ushering other vehicles past.
Crucially, the footage shows that the wheels of the Honda start turning to the right as it moves forward, suggesting it is about to pull into the road and drive off.
A by standers video shows Ms Good turns right with ICE officers at the left and front left of the vehicleAs this is happening, the ICE agent who had disappeared from view reappears in the footage, having walked around to the front of Ms Good’s car and is seen standing to the front-left of the vehicle. He is continuing to hold his phone with his left hand before reaching for a holstered handgun with his right hand.
9.37:13am
The agent, who has been named as Jonathan Ross, a ten-year veteran of ICE, is seen to fire a shot through the windscreen of the Honda, followed almost instantaneously by a second shot. As the SUV continues to move, its wheels turning right, a third shot rings out.
In the space of a fraction of a second, Ms Good has suffered fatal gunshot wounds. It is not clear to what extent she is able to control the car after the shots have been fired but the vehicle continues its turn on the one-way street before colliding with a parked car.
In her briefing, Ms Noem said Ms Good’s car had struck the agent as it pulled away. Separately, Trump administration officials suggested the Honda was ramming or had been about to ram the federal agents. A separate Department of Homeland Security (DHS) statement described the alleged actions against its officers as those of a “violent rioter”. The Trump Administration released this video claiming it shows the moment Ms Good ‘rammed’ the federal officers.
Other available video footage appears to challenge such assertions.
As the car moves forward, the agent who fires the shots moves to his right. At the moment when he opens fire, his feet can be seen placed to the left of the moving Honda, the wheels of which are pointed to the right. The gap between the ICE officer who shoots and the passing car suggests he was not in its path.
9.37:55am
After the Honda crashes into a stationary white vehicle, the woman identified as Ms Good’s partner is seen rushing towards it.
At the same time the agent who fired the shots approaches the vehicle and looks inside. As he begins to walk back towards colleagues, he can be heard saying: “Call 911”.
The footage then show’s Ms Good’s partner kneeling into the open driver’s door.
9.42am
Agents surround the scene of the crashed SUV while bystanders continue to yell criticism and plead for help for the fatally-wounded driver.
A man who identifies himself as a doctor asks if he can check on Ms Good but his offer of help is refused by officers, who say emergency services are on their way.
Can the ICE agent face prosecution?
The investigation into the circumstances of Ms Good’s death has been placed under the sole control of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Investigators will have to ascertain a number of facts, in particular whether the actions of the ICE officer Jonathan Ross, were in keeping with the law on the deadly use of a firearm.
Both federal and Minnesotan law hold officers to a standard whereby lethal force is permitted only when a reasonable person would have probable cause to believe that their target posed an immediate threat of death or serious injury.
In its statement after the incident, the DHS said the officer who shot Ms Good had “feared for his life”.
Separate court records show that as Ross attempted to arrest an undocumented Mexican immigrant last summer, he was dragged across a pavement for about 90 metres after his arm became trapped in the car window as the suspect tried to speed away. Ross, who fired a Taser at the man, suffered extensive injuries to his arm and hand.
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If prosecutors find that there is evidence that the ICE agent exceeded his power under the law when Ms Good was killed, he could face charges. However, such cases are rare and legal precedent sets the bar for proving guilt at a high level.
In order to secure a conviction, prosecutors would have to show the officer knew his actions were unlawful or that he acted with “reckless disregard” to the limits on his authority.
In theory, the officer could be separately prosecuted under state laws. However, the federal officers enjoy immunity in state courts unless it can be proven that their actions were outside their official duties or clearly unlawful.
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