Renee Good’s family sues government, top Trump officials and ICE officer who shot her

The partner of Renee Good, a Minneapolis woman who was fatally shot by an immigration officer in January, spoke publicly about her death for the first time Thursday as the family announced that they have filed two federal civil lawsuits.

“She was pure love, and she was funny, and she was smart, and she was gorgeous,” Becca Good said at a press conference, becoming emotional as she discussed attending back-to-school night and preparing to celebrate Halloween with their children alone.

“Every single one of these moments for all of her babies and for everyone up here was a monumental moment, and she should be here for all of them. We were all robbed,” she said.

Earlier in the press conference, attorneys for Renee Good’s family announced lawsuits alleging wrongful death and excessive force in her Jan. 7 death.

A portrait of Rene Nicole Good at a makeshift memorial in front of the U.S. Embassy in Berlin.Sean Gallup / Getty

One lawsuit seeks to hold the United States liable under the Federal Tort Claims Act for the actions of federal agents. It alleges wrongful death, battery, assault, false imprisonment, emotional distress and negligence.

The second suit names Jonathan Ross, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer who shot Good, as well as several federal officials, including White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

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“Every morning she’s my first thought. I think about how the kids are growing up without their mama, and how I’ll grow old without the love of my life,” Becca Good said.

Renee Good’s brother, Brent Ganger, said her death was “completely senseless.”

“We file these two lawsuits today to put officials on notice that we have not forgotten,” he said.

The Department of Homeland Security and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A representative for Ross could not immediately be identified.

Good, 37, was fatally shot in the driver’s seat of her SUV during a Jan. 7 encounter with Ross. The killing occurred about a month after the Trump administration deployed 3,000 immigration agents to the Twin Cities in what officials have dubbed Operation Metro Surge. Agents descended on Minnesota after right-wing influencers drew attention to a state fraud scandal involving Somali nationals.

A single bullet hole can be seen on the driver's side of Renee Good's vehicle on Jan. 7.Alex Kormann / Star Tribune via Getty

The operation triggered massive protests and significant pushback from state leaders. It ended in February.

The shooting was captured on cellphone video. It showed Good’s partner, Becca Good, standing outside the SUV calling Ross “big boy” and telling him to remove the covering from his face. Other officers at the scene could be heard telling Good to get out of the car. In the video, Good is seen turning the steering wheel away from Ross and beginning to drive.

Multiple gunshots can be heard in the video before Good’s SUV crashes into a parked car. In a separate video recorded by Ross, a male voice could be heard saying “f-----g b----” moments before the crash.

Trump administration figures, including President Donald Trump and Noem, defended Ross’ actions and claimed Good was an agitator who tried to run over the officer with her vehicle. Witnesses told NBC News at the time that Ross didn’t appear to be in the direct path of the SUV.

Noem said Ross was treated at a hospital for injuries he sustained in the incident and was released soon after. A DHS official previously told NBC News that Ross sustained internal bleeding but did not elaborate on his injuries.

Attorney Antonio M. Romanucci, who is representing Good’s family, said he hopes the lawsuits “are the beginning of the ultimate legal weapon in uncovering the truth behind this unlawful use of deadly force and the nefarious conspiracies behind the invasion of American cities by American law enforcement officers.”

Weeks after Good’s killing, Customs and Border Protection agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, in Minneapolis.