Renee Good’s former father-in-law says he doesn’t blame ICE for shooting: 'Some bad choices'

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: Renee Nicole Good’s former father-in-law is urging restraint and reflection following the fatal shooting that killed the Minnesota mother during a federal immigration enforcement operation last week, saying he does not place blame on Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Speaking to CNN on Tuesday, Timmy Macklin described the incident as a tragedy shaped by circumstance rather than malice, stressing that he believes multiple factors contributed to the deadly outcome.

Timmy Macklin says he does not blame ICE or family members

“I don’t blame ICE. I don’t blame Rebecca. I don’t blame Renee,” Macklin said during the interview, referring to Good’s wife, Rebecca. “I just wish that, you know, if we’re walking in the spirit of God, I don’t think she would have been there. That’s the way I look at it.”

Macklin said the shooting represented “a hard situation all around,” adding that “some bad choices” were made, without singling out any individual or agency as responsible.

Good had previously been married to Macklin’s son, who died in 2023. The former couple shared a six-year-old son, whom Macklin referenced while reflecting on the personal loss left behind by the incident.

Despite declining to assign blame, Macklin spoke warmly about Good, describing her as “an amazing person” and a devoted parent.

“She was a good mother. She was full of life,” he said, emphasizing that his comments were not intended to diminish her character or legacy.

Macklin framed the shooting within what he described as a broader sense of disorder in society. “I just think we make bad choices, and that’s the problem,” he said. “There is so much chaos in the whole world today. We need to turn to God and walk in the spirit of God and let him lead us and guide us.”

Timmy Macklin reiterates no blame after reviewing ICE shooting video

When CNN anchor Erin Burnett pressed Macklin on whether he believed the shooting was justified, he reiterated that he was “not blaming anybody.”

Macklin said he had watched cellphone video footage from a witness angle that appeared to show Good’s vehicle striking an ICE agent during the encounter. “You know, in a flash like that, it’s hard to say how you’d react,” he said.

Macklin also noted reports that the agent involved had previously been dragged by a vehicle during an earlier incident, which he suggested may have influenced the officer’s perception of threat.

Federal officials defend agents’ actions

The Department of Homeland Security has maintained that the ICE agents involved acted in self-defense. On Wednesday, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News that the agent sustained internal bleeding to his torso after being struck by Good’s vehicle. 

Federal officials have characterized the incident as an act of domestic terrorism, a label that has drawn sharp criticism from Democratic leaders and civil rights advocates, who dispute the self-defense claim and have called for independent investigations.