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The death of Renee Nicole Good is a tragedy that has left a Minneapolis community fractured and a family inconsolable. On the morning of January 7, 2026, the thirty-seven-year-old mother, poet, and neighbor was shot and killed during a confrontation with federal agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). While the event has since become a focal point for intense political debate and conflicting official narratives, those who knew her remember a woman whose life was defined by creativity, faith, and a deep devotion to her family.
Renee lived just blocks from the site of her death, deeply rooted in the daily rhythms of her neighborhood. She was a woman described by those who knew her as someone who was constantly “looking out for others.” A graduate of Old Dominion University, Renee was a gifted writer who had won an undergraduate poetry prize in 2020. Her creative spirit extended to art and music; she was a guitar strummer who co-hosted a podcast and had spent her youth singing in choirs. Her Instagram bio offered a humble glimpse into her world: a poet, a writer, a wife, and a mother experiencing life in Minneapolis.
The morning of the incident began with the mundane routine of a parent. After dropping her youngest son off at school, Renee was driving home with her partner when they encountered a heavy federal presence in their neighborhood. Residents had already become concerned by the sight of multiple SUVs obstructing roadways near the local elementary school. Video footage of the encounter shows Renee inside her vehicle as a federal agent approached and attempted to open her driver-side door. In the confusion and tension of the moment, Renee reversed her vehicle suddenly before moving forward. An officer was positioned in front of the car, and within seconds, shots were fired through the windshield. The vehicle continued down the block before crashing.
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