Renee Good Shooting: DOJ Response vs. Floyd Case

The Justice Department is not investigating the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis in January, despite calls for a probe from Minnesota’s governor and widespread public scrutiny. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed the decision Sunday, six years after the department launched a criminal investigation into the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.

Justice Department Defends Decision Not to Investigate

The shooting of Good, which occurred less than a mile from where Floyd was murdered in May 2020, was recorded on at least five phones, including one held by the ICE agent, Jonathan Ross. Blanche, a former personal lawyer for Donald Trump, dismissed the need for a criminal investigation, suggesting the publicly available video evidence cleared Ross.

“Is the FBI conducting an investigation into that agent, into the shooting?” Blanche was asked, referencing criticism from Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. “Look, what happened that day has been reviewed by millions and millions of Americans because it was recorded on phones,” Blanche responded. “The department of justice, our civil rights unit, we don’t just go out and investigate every time an officer is forced to defend himself against somebody putting his life in danger. We never do.”

Blanche stated the Justice Department would not yield to pressure from the media or politicians. “We investigate when it’s appropriate to investigate and that is not the case here,” he said. “We are not going to bow to pressure… So no, we are not investigating.”

Contradictory Statements and Forensic Analysis

Blanche was not questioned about the differences between this case and the investigation into Floyd’s death, which the previous Trump Justice Department did pursue. He also faced no challenge regarding his assertion that the video evidence definitively showed self-defense.

Forensic analysis by the New York Times, Bellingcat, and other outlets has refuted claims made by Trump that Good “ran over” Ross as she drove past him.

Kristi Noem, who oversees ICE as Trump’s head of homeland security, also asserted there was no need for an investigation, stating that videos showed Ross “got attacked with a car that was trying to take his life.” She suggested a standard internal review by the agency would be sufficient.

Past Investigations and Current Actions

Blanche’s claim that the Justice Department’s civil rights division “never” responds to public outrage over killings by law enforcement is contradicted by the department’s response to Floyd’s death. Three days after Floyd was killed, the US attorney in Minnesota and the FBI announced a “robust criminal investigation” with the department’s civil rights division. Then-Attorney General William Barr called the video of Floyd’s death “harrowing to watch and deeply disturbing” and pledged an independent investigation.

That investigation led to convictions in 2022 of four Minneapolis police officers for federal civil rights offenses, including Derek Chauvin, who pleaded guilty. Three other officers were convicted of “deliberate indifference” to Floyd’s medical needs.

Witnesses to Good’s shooting, including one who recorded video, reported that federal officers prevented a physician from providing medical aid and blocked arriving ambulances.

Since Trump’s return to office, he has been accused of undermining the independence of the Justice Department, appointing partisan leaders, directing investigations against his political opponents, and issuing pardons to supporters. Harmeet Dhillon, who now leads the justice department’s civil rights division, shared Trump’s false claim about Good on X. Attorney General Pam Bondi posted a statement warning Minnesota protesters against obstructing federal law enforcement, but did not mention Good’s death.

Following a wave of resignations from federal prosecutors in Minnesota and Washington D.C. protesting the decision not to investigate Good’s shooting, Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel visited Minneapolis to meet with prosecutors and federal immigration officers. Amid reports that the Justice Department is investigating Good’s widow, Becca, for allegedly impeding Ross, Blanche promised to “prosecute anyone attacking or obstructing” ICE officers. Patel posted that the FBI was “cracking down on violent rioters” in the city, a term often used by Trump administration officials to describe peaceful protesters.