Witness calls ICE agents 'children,' detailing Minneapolis standoff that killed Renee Nicole Good

Emily Heller told CNN the ICE agents appeared ‘untrained’ and panicked during the shooting
PUBLISHED JAN 8, 2026
Eyewitness said the ICE shooting in Minneapolis, Minnesota, occurred in a span of only 60 seconds (@EricLDaugh/X)
Eyewitness said the ICE shooting in Minneapolis, Minnesota, occurred in a span of only 60 seconds (@EricLDaugh/X)


MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: The ICE shooting has sparked nationwide outrage, leaving the country in shock. A 37-year-old woman was killed by an ICE agent, and videos of the incident have quickly spread across social media, intensifying the political turmoil.

A witness to the ICE shooting spoke to CNN, describing in detail how the incident unfolded. She criticized the actions of the agents and referred to them as 'children.' The witness also explained the circumstances that led to the shooting. The victim has been identified as Nicole Renee Good.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JANUARY 07: Members of law enforcement work the scene following a suspected shooting by an ICE agent during federal law enforcement operations on January 07, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. According to federal officials, the agent, “fearing for his life” killed a woman during a confrontation in south Minneapolis. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Members of law enforcement work the scene following a suspected shooting by an ICE agent during federal law enforcement operations on January 07, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota ( Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

Emily Heller describes chaotic ICE standoff that led to Nicole Renee Good’s death

Emily Heller, a witness to the Minneapolis ICE shooting, spoke to CNN, providing a detailed account of how the tragic incident unfolded. She described an 'ICE convoy' that had become stuck in the road while the woman who was shot blocked traffic, preventing the convoy from going ahead.

She recalled, "I heard whistles, which is a common sign ICE is nearby. I went out under my front porch. I didn't even have shoes on and within 60 seconds, um, everything had already gone down. There was an ICE convoy that seemed to be stuck. And then, um, there was a protester who was blocking traffic so they couldn't progress."

She continued, "But there was an ICE convoy that seemed to be stuck. And then there was a protester who was blocking traffic, so they couldn't progress. And, she was totally peaceful. That's when an ICE agent stepped in front of her vehicle and said stop. And then, I mean, she was already moving and then point blank shot her through her windshield in the face."

An onlooker holds a sign that reads
An onlooker holds a sign that reads 'Shame' as members of law enforcement work the scene following a suspected shooting by an ICE agent during federal law enforcement operations on January 07, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

Heller sharply criticized the ICE agent’s actions: "It seemed completely unorganized. They didn't really know what they were doing. They were screaming at her to move, move, and then they approached her vehicle aggressively and grabbed, tried to open her door. And then that's when she got spooked, and she reversed her vehicle, uh, to turn her wheels to try to escape."

She blasted the ICE, calling the agents 'children'. "The ICE agents, other ICE agents, surrounded him. He was obviously spooked, too. They seem like children. They seem like untrained people, and so that agent was obviously spooked because he had just killed someone, and it was very obvious to everyone who had witnessed at all that she would not make it."

Heller added, "They kind of gathered around him, and then there was a gold SUV that came, and they put him in it and got him out of there because everyone knew he had murdered someone."

ICE operation in Minneapolis ends in tragedy

Renee Nicole Good was identified as the woman fatally shot by an ICE agent during the Trump administration’s latest immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis. 

According to the Department of Homeland Security, ICE agents were conducting a targeted operation when they encountered Good in her SUV. DHS reports that she was among several individuals who allegedly used their vehicles to block the road, preventing agents from advancing.

Hours after the shooting, Good was identified by her mother. Speaking to the Star Tribune, Donna Ganger remembered her daughter as 'one of the kindest people I’ve ever known.'

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