Donald Trump has shared his thoughts on the tragic shooting of Renee Good, noting her father’s alleged support for his MAGA movement.
On January 7, Renee Nicole Good was tragically shot and killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent Jonathan Ross. The 37-year-old mother of three had just dropped her six-year-old child off at school in Minneapolis.
Her partner, Rebecca Good, explained that they had arrived home to find ICE agents in the neighborhood and decided to stop to ‘support’ their neighbors, as she recounted to Minnesota Public Radio.
Good, present as a legal observer of ICE operations, ended up in a confrontation with officers, during which Ross shot her three times.
On January 20, coinciding with the anniversary of his second inauguration as President of the United States, Trump took a moment to reflect on the incident involving Good and her family.
During a White House press conference, Trump expressed his condolences, saying he ‘felt horribly’ upon learning about ‘the young woman,’ and referred to her death as a ‘tragedy’.
Trump stated to the press: “It’s a horrible thing. Everybody would say – ICE would say the same thing.”
The president mentioned that he discovered Good’s parents, ‘and her father in particular,’ were ‘tremendous fans’ of his – noting that he ‘hope[s] he still is,’ though he is unsure.
Continuing his remarks, Trump said: “He was all for Trump. Loved Trump. And it’s terrible. I was told that by a lot of people.”
“They said, ‘Oh, he loves you’ … I hope he still feels that way. It’s a hard, hard situation. But her father was a tremendous, and parents were tremendous Trump fans,” he continued.
He concluded: “It’s so sad. It just happens.”
Trump’s expression of feeling ‘horribly’ follows earlier comments he made to The New York Times this month, where he called Good’s actions ‘behav[ing] horribly’. In another interview, he described Good as a ‘professional agitator,’ though he later mentioned to CBS News that she was likely a ‘very solid, wonderful person.’
The family of Good has also issued a statement following the tragic event.
In a message shared with USA Today, the family expressed their gratitude: “We want to thank everyone who has reached out in support of Renee and our family. The kind of unending care we’ve been given during this time is exactly the kind that she gave to everyone.
“Nae was the beautiful light of our family and brought joy to anyone she met. She was relentlessly hopeful and optimistic which was contagious. We all already miss her more than words could ever express.”
Jess Fletcher, Good’s sister-in-law, emphasized to The Guardian: “There’s been so much hateful rhetoric back and forth, and what’s been missed is painting a picture of who Renee was.”
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell at (734) 975-0238, or email [email protected].