Trump says Renee Good's actions justified ICE shooting: 'You can't do that with law enforcement'

WASHINGTON DC: President Donald Trump has blamed Renee Nicole Good for her own death after she was shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in Minneapolis, saying she was “very, very disrespectful to law enforcement” and suggesting her actions justified the use of force.

The killing of Good, 37, has sparked protests across the United States, particularly in cities targeted by the Trump administration’s latest immigration enforcement operations.

Trump says Renee Nicole Good was responsible for shooting

Speaking to reporters, Trump said, “We have to respect our law enforcement. At a very minimum, that woman was very, very disrespectful to law enforcement. And you heard the same noises, you saw the same crunch that I saw. You can't do that with law enforcement.”

He claimed Good had attempted to run over the ICE officer during the encounter.

Earlier in the week, Trump played video footage of the shooting and acknowledged the gravity of the incident before it began. “With all of it being said, no, I don't like that happening,” he said. He described the encounter as violent, adding, “That was a vicious situation that took place.”

At the conclusion of the footage, Trump told the New York Times, “It's a terrible scene. I think it's horrible to watch. No, I hate to see it.” His remarks, made hours after the shooting, have intensified national outrage as protests spread across the country.

Nationwide protests erupt after ICE shooting in Minneapolis

Public anger over the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis spilled into streets across the United States on Saturday, as demonstrators mobilised against what they described as the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement policies.

The protests were organised under the banner of the “Ice Out for Good” campaign, with rallies held in both small towns and major cities, including areas that have been key targets of President Trump’s immigration crackdown.

The demonstrations came three days after Good, a US citizen, was shot and killed while seated in her car in south Minneapolis.

Video footage of the shooting, captured from multiple angles, has fuelled sharply opposing interpretations.

Minnesota state leaders have described the incident as an unjustified use of lethal force against a civilian attempting to leave the scene, while Trump administration officials have claimed Good was a left-wing domestic terrorist who tried to run over the agent, arguing the shooting was an act of self-defence. 

Federal operations intensify in Minneapolis

As part of broader enforcement efforts, federal agents have conducted large-scale operations across multiple cities.

In Minneapolis, the focus has been primarily on Somali immigrant communities, with agents frequently encountering protesters who follow operations using cameras and whistles.

Following the killing, protests in Minneapolis escalated, with law enforcement using tear gas outside a federal building near the city’s airport.

Governor Tim Walz has urged calm while condemning the shooting and has placed National Guard troops on alert, as Trump ordered additional federal agents to the city.