Renee Good’s death during a federal immigration crackdown has left her family in grief and has intensified debate over the tactics used during enforcement operations in Minneapolis, according to an Associated Press report. In interviews, her parents and brothers recalled a mother they described as affectionate and community-oriented, while also describing the questions they say remain unanswered after her killing.
Good was killed Jan. 7 as immigration agents surged through the Minneapolis area, sparking waves of protests, the report said. Her death, along with the killing of another U.S. citizen, Alex Pretti, weeks later, helped prompt outrage across the country and calls for limits on immigration enforcement.
Donna Ganger told AP that her daughter had a gift for making people feel special, saying Good was “slow to anger, quick to love,” and “quick to care.” Tim Ganger also offered a similar description, saying “That’s the essence of who she was” and repeating that Good was “slow to anger, quick to love, quick to care.” The family also described Good’s personal routines and interests, including what her father and mother said she loved most: celebrations, laughter, and sparkles.
The report said Good, who was 37 and a mother of three, had only recently relocated to Minneapolis from Kansas City, Missouri, settling in a progressive neighborhood that its residents are known for its activism. Her parents described how the family integrated into the community quickly, saying that the welcome they received reflected what they said Good showed new neighbors. The report added that Good’s social media accounts described her as a poet and writer and that her family arranged a memorial space featuring glitter, which her mother said reminded her of Good’s love for sparkle and birds.
In the days after Good’s killing, the Trump administration said she was shot as she tried to drive her car into an immigration officer, the report said. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Good committed “an act of domestic terrorism,” AP reported. The report said administration comments later softened and that President Donald Trump told reporters he’d been told Tim Ganger supported him.
The family described political differences they said they have always had, but said they also maintained respect and love across those divides. Luke Ganger, the report said, told Congress that the family was “a very American blend,” adding that they “have always treated each other with love and respect.” In the immediate aftermath of her death, Tim Ganger declined to discuss political affiliation, but he told AP the family’s goal in the “unbelievable time” was to have “something good come out of this,” or the “senselessness” would be overwhelming.
The AP report described a video of the morning of the shooting showing Good in a red SUV blocking part of the road and repeatedly honking, with immigration officers then ordering her to get out. According to the report, two officers got out of a truck and one told Good to open her door; she reversed briefly and then turned as the officer repeated “get out of the car.” The report said Becca Good, standing outside, shouted “drive, baby, drive!” and that as Good began pulling forward, the report said an ICE officer fired at least two shots into the car, killing her.
The report said the Justice Department told the family it sees no basis to open a federal civil rights investigation into Good’s death. Her family, however, hired a law firm to investigate and explore legal action, AP reported, and said no one from the federal government had contacted them. Tim Ganger later said he hoped for a broader dialogue in which people come together and “take care of each other,” and he acknowledged he was unsure what change would look like.