The streets of Minneapolis are currently under a spotlight that feels all too familiar, yet the details this time around are uniquely staggering. If you’ve been scrolling through social media or catching the evening news lately, you’ve likely seen the name Renee Good. You might have also heard about a more recent incident in North Minneapolis involving a man from Venezuela.
Honestly, the situation is a mess of conflicting reports, federal versus local tension, and a community that feels like it’s being occupied.
Basically, two high-profile shootings involving federal agents have happened within the span of a single week. The first, and most tragic, was the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good on January 7, 2026. The second occurred just a few nights ago, on Wednesday, January 14, where a man was shot in the leg during a struggle with agents.
Who Was Shot in MN? The Case of Renee Good
Renee Good was a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, a poet, and a mother. She wasn't some random person caught in the crossfire; she was a well-known community member who, according to local leaders like Representative Ilhan Omar, was acting as a "legal observer."
The shooting happened on Portland Avenue near East 33rd-34th Streets. This is south Minneapolis, just blocks from where George Floyd was killed in 2020. The proximity hasn't been lost on anyone.
The federal narrative, pushed heavily by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Director Kristi Noem and the White House, is that Good "weaponized her vehicle" and tried to run over agents. They even labeled her a "domestic terrorist." But here's the thing: local officials and witnesses tell a completely different story.
Video footage that has been circulating—and analyzed by major outlets like The New York Times—shows her Honda Pilot reversing away from ICE agents before the shots were fired.
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What the Incident Reports Say
New details from the Minneapolis Fire Department’s incident report are pretty graphic. Paramedics found her at 9:42 a.m. unresponsive in her car. She had four gunshot wounds: two in her chest, one in her arm, and one to her head.
Her pulse was described as "inconsistent" and "irregular."
She was eventually pronounced dead at Hennepin County Medical Center at 10:30 a.m. This wasn't a split-second mistake in a dark alley; it was a broad-daylight encounter involving an ICE Special Response Team agent named Jonathan Ross.
The North Minneapolis Shooting (January 14)
Just as the city was beginning to process Renee Good’s death, another shooting happened. This one was in the Hawthorne neighborhood of North Minneapolis, specifically near North Lyndale and 25th Avenue.
A man from Venezuela was shot in the leg by a federal agent.
DHS claims this was a "targeted traffic stop" that turned into an ambush. They say the man and two others attacked the officer with a snow shovel and a broom handle.
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The man’s wife, however, called 911 and claimed in Spanish that the agents had been following them, hit their car, and tried to force their way into their home.
It’s a classic "he said, she said" scenario, but with much higher stakes. The crowd that gathered afterward was furious. People were using whistles and horns to alert neighbors—a tactic that's becoming common in the city to track federal movements.
Why This Is Different From Your Standard Police Shooting
This isn't the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) pulling the trigger. It’s federal agents.
Currently, there are about 2,500 federal agents on the ground in Minnesota. This is part of a massive surge ordered by the federal government, ostensibly to tackle fraud and crime. But local leaders, including Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey, have been incredibly vocal about wanting them to leave.
Frey famously told ICE to "get the f*** out of Minneapolis" during a press conference.
The tension is so thick you could cut it with a knife. The FBI has taken over the investigation into Renee Good’s death, and they’ve actually cut out the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA). This is highly unusual and has led Governor Walz to publicly state that he doubts a "fair outcome" is even possible at this point.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the Current Situation
There's a lot of misinformation floating around, mostly fueled by the political divide in D.C.
- The Victim's Status: Some early reports tried to suggest Renee Good was a target of an immigration raid. She wasn't. She was a U.S. citizen documenting the agents' actions.
- The "Domestic Terrorist" Label: This was a term used by DHS almost immediately after the shooting. It’s a heavy label that hasn't been supported by the videos released so far.
- The Insurrection Act: President Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to "put an end to the travesty" in Minnesota. This would basically mean federalizing the National Guard or sending in the military to handle the protests.
The chaos on the ground is real. Protesters have vandalized federal vehicles, and in one instance, an individual allegedly stole FBI weaponry and body armor. Attorney General Pam Bondi has already announced arrests related to those thefts.
Why Who Was Shot in MN Matters for the Rest of the Country
What’s happening in Minnesota isn't just a local news story. It’s a test case for how federal and state powers clash.
You’ve got a state government (Walz) and a city government (Frey) that are actively trying to kick federal agents out. Meanwhile, the federal government is doubling down on its presence.
If you live in a city with a high immigrant population, you might see this same "surge" tactic used there. The legal question of whether agents can shoot into a moving vehicle—which many local police departments have banned because it's so dangerous—is being litigated in the court of public opinion right now.
Actionable Steps for Staying Safe and Informed
If you're in the Twin Cities or just following the news, here's how to navigate the noise:
- Know Your Rights: Organizations like the ACLU and local DFL representatives are holding "Know Your Rights" town halls. If you encounter federal agents, you have specific legal protections, even during a "surge."
- Verify Video Sources: Before sharing a clip on social media, check if it's been verified by a neutral third party or a reputable news outlet. Disinformation is being used by both sides to drum up outrage.
- Monitor Local Alerts: The City of Minneapolis and the MPD are often at odds with federal reports. Follow local city council members and the Mayor’s office for updates on street closures or protest zones.
- Document Everything: Governor Walz has actually encouraged Minnesotans to record ICE activity. If you see something, film it—but stay at a safe distance.
The situation in Minnesota is far from over. With more agents arriving and the threat of the Insurrection Act looming, the question of who was shot in MN is likely to be followed by more names if the tension doesn't break soon. For now, the focus remains on the investigation into Renee Good and the man shot in North Minneapolis, as the city waits to see if any federal agent will actually face local charges.