Fact Check: Did Chipotle owner donate to ICE agent who fatally shot Renee Nicole Good?

NEWPORT BEACH, CALIFORNIA: Earlier this year, a social media claim gained traction, suggesting that the owner or chief executive of the popular restaurant chain Chipotle had financially supported the ICE agent who fatally shot Renee Nicole Good during an immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. Whether this is true or not, let us examine the origins of the claim.

Claim: Chipotle owner donates to ICE agent who shot Renee Nicole Good

Social media posts have claimed that the owner or CEO of Chipotle, a Mexican fast-food chain, donated either $10,000 or $15,000 to ICE agents generally or specifically to the ICE agent who shot and killed Good.

The claim stemmed from a donation made by Bill Ackman, a billionaire hedge fund manager who once held a major stake in Chipotle.

A Facebook post by a user named Ashley Jacobs wrote, “Don’t eat at Chipotle. The guy who owns it just gave $10000 to the man who killed Renee Good. Let’s boycott this restaurant. This just blew me!!!....welp guess I’ll make my own bowl!”

Fact Check: Scott Boatwright did not donate to ICE agent fundraiser

According to the chain’s website, Chipotle’s CEO at the time of publishing was Scott Boatwright. 

Although Ackman contributed, Boatwright's name did not appear among the top donors for a GoFundMe campaign supporting Jonathan Ross.

At the time of this writing, the fundraiser had received two $10000 donations, one from a contributor listed as Patrice J and another from William Ackman.

Based on his LinkedIn account, his most recently active public social media profile, Boatwright also did not announce a donation to either Ross or ICE.

While there is an option to donate to a fundraiser anonymously, there was no evidence that Boatwright had made such a donation at the time of this writing.

Hence, the claim that the owner and CEO of Chipotle donated to Ross is false.

Fundraiser created to cover legal costs for ICE officer

Clyde Emmons of Mount Forest, Michigan, created the GoFundMe campaign for Ross.

At the time of publication of this report, it had raised a massive $98,000 from more than 1,900 donors.

In the description, Emmons defended the officer’s actions and said the fundraiser was intended to support Ross with potential legal expenses.

“After seeing all the media bs about a domestic te**orist getting go fund me, I feel that the officer that was 1000 percent justified in the shooting deserves to have a go fund me,” the description reads.

Emmons added that the funds would be used to help cover legal services for the officer.

“Funds will go to help pay for any legal services this officer needs,” the description further states, noting that if Ross cannot be reached, the money would be donated to ICE through DAP.