A woman was shot and killed by a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent on Wednesday morning in south Minneapolis, a city already on edge as the Trump administration ramps up immigration raids across Democratic-led areas.

What exactly happened is still being pieced together through videos, eyewitness accounts and official statements. What is clear is that federal officials and Minnesota leaders are telling two very different stories about the same moments that led to the woman’s death.

The killing has sparked protests, vigils and outrage toward ICE operations in the city.

ICE Minneapolis shooting: Why did they shoot?

According to PBS, citing Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara, city officers were called to the area after reports of gunfire involving federal agents. When police arrived, they found a woman inside a vehicle with a gunshot wound to her head. She was taken to a nearby hospital, where she later died. O’Hara told PBS, the woman was sitting in her car, which was blocking part of a road. A federal officer approached her vehicle. As the car began to move away, at least two shots were fired. The vehicle then crashed near the roadside.

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Authorities initially did not name the woman. Later, her mother identified her as Renee Nicole Good, 37. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey confirmed her age. O’Hara said there was “no indication she was being investigated or targeted by law enforcement,” according to PBS.

Family claims Renee Nicole Good was “murdered”

According to The Telegraph, the family of a woman shot dead by a US immigration agent in Minneapolis said she was murdered and did nothing to deserve her death. Speaking to The Telegraph, Good’s former father-in-law, Timmy Ray Macklin Sr, said he believed she had been murdered by ICE agents. “It is horrible, it’s murder. Everybody is terribly shocked right now,” he said. “She was a good, outgoing person. I didn’t agree with a lot of her ways, but it’s really sad to see these things happen.”

He said Good shared a six-year-old child with his late son and would bring the child to visit their grandparents a few times each year. “My main concern right now is getting my grandchild,” he said.

What bystander videos show?

Several videos recorded by people nearby started surfacing online. In the footage, ICE agents can be seen surrounding a car stopped across an icy street. In one video, an officer is seen trying to open the driver’s door and reaches inside as the vehicle begins to reverse. Another officer steps in front of the car with his gun. As the car moves forward, the officer fires multiple shots.

The vehicle then veers toward the curb and crashes into parked cars. Photos from the scene show a Honda Pilot with a bullet hole in the windshield and Missouri license plates.

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Was Good viciously attacking the agent? DHS labels it ‘domestic terrorism’

The Department of Homeland Security said the ICE agent fired in self-defence. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the officer was scared for his life and the safety of others. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is calling the incident an “act of domestic terrorism,” referring to the woman’s actions.

Speaking from Texas, Noem said the woman tried to run over officers with her vehicle and that the agent “acted defensively” to protect himself and those around him. 

US President Donald Trump also defended the ICE agent on his Truth social media, describing the driver as “very disorderly” and claiming she “viciously ran over” an ICE officer. Trump said the agent was lucky to survive. DHS later said any officers injured in the incident are expected to fully recover.

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Minnesota leaders strongly reject DHS version

State and city leaders in Minnesota have pushed back against the federal account after reviewing the videos. Mayor Jacob Frey said claims of self-defence did not match what he saw and what the videos show. “They are already trying to spin this as self-defence,” Frey said at a news conference. “Having seen the video myself, I want to say this clearly — that is bullshit.”

When asked whether the woman appeared to be using her car as a weapon, Frey said it did not look that way. He accused the agent of recklessly using power and causing a death. “They are not making this city safer,” he said. “They are creating chaos and distrust.”

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said he understood the public’s outrage and anger, especially in a city still marked by the killing of George Floyd just blocks away in 2020.

Why ICE was operating in Minneapolis

Minneapolis is the latest major city to see a surge in ICE activity. More than 2,000 federal agents were sent to the area earlier this week as part of what ICE officials have described as their largest operation ever. 

This comes after massive federal investigations were launched into fraud cases involving Somali-run child care programs in Minnesota. Trump has repeatedly singled out Somali communities in his immigration rhetoric. Minnesota is home to the largest Somali population in the country. ICE has said more agents will remain in the region, warning that undocumented immigrants and those accused of fraud should “expect a visit.”

Who was Renee Nicole Good?

Renee Nicole Good was a 37-year-old mother, partner and community member who lived in Minneapolis. She had three children, according to her family and court records, reviewed by the Kansas City Star.

Court records show that she had lived in Kansas City as recently as 2023 and had legally changed her last name to include her partner’s, saying she wanted to share a name with them.

On the day she was killed, Good was not the subject of any police or federal investigation. Local leaders and community organisers say she was in the area out of concern for her neighbours during an immigration enforcement operation.

Her mother, Donna Ganger, told reporters that Renee was an “extremely compassionate” person who “has taken care of people all her life.” According to her mom, Renee was not part of any ICE protest groups.

By Wednesday night, thousands gathered near the shooting site for a vigil. Candles, flowers and signs filled the street. People chanted her name again and again. As competing narratives continue to clash, state officials say a full investigation is underway. Multiple videos from different angles are expected to play a central role in determining what happened in the moments before the shots were fired.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz urged people to protest peacefully and warned against giving the Trump administration what he called “a show.” “They want a spectacle,” he said. “We can’t give it to them.”