Mourners continue gathering at scene of Minneapolis ICE shooting as police enforce crowd control

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: Hundreds of mourners continue to stream into the site where Renee Nicole Good, 37, was shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis to pay their respects and mourn at her memorial, where the crowd has only grown in recent hours.

The Minneapolis Police Department reopened Portland Avenue, where Good was shot, to through traffic on Friday, January 9, and officers are serving as crowd control at the site and surrounding intersections, CNN's affiliate WCCO reported. 

Entire street blocked by protesters with makeshift barriers

The outlet reported that the whole street was blocked off by protesters with makeshift barriers on Thursday, January 8, which were broken down by city agencies overnight.

People are arriving at the memorial from around the state and the Midwest to mourn Good, leaving flowers, signs, and other mementos, as reported by WCCO. The growing memorial includes signs with the names of people who died while in ICE custody during past and present administrations. 

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the shootings took place because vehicles were used to potentially harm agents. In Good's case, the agency called the shooting an act of self-defense.

USA Today reported that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said officers fired "defensive shots" after the woman attempted to ram agents with her SUV. 

However, Local officials, like Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, disagreed. He said at a press conference, "They are already trying to spin this as an action of self defense. Having seen the video myself I want to tell everybody directly, that is bull***t."

Meanwhile, the gatherings are expected to continue into the weekend, with Minnesota being no exception. 

Protesters have maintained a presence at the site of the incident, the intersection of 34th Street and Portland Avenue, and outside the Henry Whipple Federal Building at Fort Snelling, where immigration hearings are often held.

Furthermore, a formal protest is scheduled for 1 PM on Saturday, January 10, at the northwest corner Powderhorn Park in Minneapolis, near the intersection of 10th Avenue and 32nd Street. The park is directly west of where Good was shot.

Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC), based in Minneapolis, is organizing the formal protest. The organization helped organize an "emergency response vigil" the day Good died.

Minnesota senators urge DoJ to coordinate with state, local authorities

Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota called on the Department of Justice (DoJ), including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), to coordinate with state and local law enforcement and conduct a joint investigation with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) into the fatal shooting of Renee Good.

In a letter addressed to US Attorney General Pam Bondi, they wrote, "The administration’s decision raises serious questions about its objectivity, particularly after administration officials have made statements that conflict with the video and other evidence that has already become public." 

The BCA said in a Thursday, January 8, statement that it had "reluctantly withdrawn" from the investigation after the FBI informed the agency it would no longer have access to case materials or help lead the investigation.

"Without complete access to the evidence, witnesses and information collected, we cannot meet the investigative standards that Minnesota law and the public demands," the BCA mentioned.