Thompson, leading committee Democrats, says no evidence shared would justify Good's killing
Bennie ThompsonRanking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, in a letter he led for the committee's Democrats
Thompson led House Homeland Security Committee Democrats in a letter to Chairman Andrew Garbarino saying that no evidence shared would justify Good's killing, that the person who shot her must be held accountable, and that Secretary Noem must answer for the shooting.
“Contrary to Secretary Noem’s press statements, there has been no evidence shared that would justify Ms. Good’s killing. The perpetrator must be held accountable, and Secretary Noem must answer for this shooting as well as other recent acts of violence by her officers and agents.”
Official statement
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Was ICE Officer Jonathan Ross justified in fatally shooting Renée Good?
On January 7, 2026, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer Jonathan Ross fatally shot Renée Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, during a federal immigration operation in south Minneapolis. Good, a poet and writer with an English degree from Old Dominion University who had recently relocated to Minneapolis with her wife and children, was in her SUV near East 34th Street and Portland Avenue when agents approached. Ross fired three shots as Good's vehicle turned away from him; she drove several blocks before crashing and was pronounced dead. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said Good had used her vehicle as a weapon against agents and that Ross fired in self-defense. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz disputed that account, saying video of the encounter showed no threat to the agent and calling the self-defense narrative false. The FBI removed the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension from the joint investigation the day after the shooting. The Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division declined to open its own investigation; Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department was not investigating because circulating video already showed the officer being attacked by the vehicle. As of September 2026, no public charges had been filed against Ross.
Source and context
Official statement
About this source
Post by the House Homeland Security Committee Democrats reproducing the January 8, 2026 letter from Ranking Member Bennie Thompson and other committee Democrats to Chairman Andrew Garbarino, which asks for a hearing with Secretary Kristi Noem.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Reporting
About this source
MinnPost's Washington newsletter reporting on congressional reactions to the Good shooting, including Noem's account of the shooting and Chairman Garbarino's response to the hearing request.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
An ICE officer shot and killed Good in Minneapolis on January 7, 2026. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had said the shooting was the result of "domestic terrorism" and that the officer was in fear for his life.
After the quotation
MinnPost reported on January 9, 2026 that Chairman Garbarino responded that the FBI was actively investigating and that the committee would review the results of that investigation, and that he did not agree to a hearing with Noem.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The case asks whether ICE officer Jonathan Ross was justified in fatally shooting Renée Good. The letter Thompson led says no evidence shared would justify the killing, contrary to Secretary Noem's press statements, and that the person who fired must be held accountable. That rejects the justification for the shooting itself and calls for accountability, so we used the Condemned label rather than Challenged the characterization.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Jonathan Ross, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
More from this case
Read the full caseDOJ's Blanche says agent was forced to defend himself
“We don't just go out and investigate every time an officer is forced to defend himself against somebody. We investigate when it's appropriate to investigate.”Read statement
Good's wife contrasts their whistles with agents' guns
“We had whistles. They had guns.”Read statement
JD Vance says Jonathan Ross acted in self-defense
“The reason this woman is dead is because she tried to ram somebody with her car and that guy acted in self-defense.”Read statement
Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Thompson, leading committee Democrats, says no evidence shared would justify Good's killing
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/events/2780-thompson-led-house-homeland-security-committee-democrats-in
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Thompson, leading committee Democrats, says no evidence shared would justify Good's killing". First published: 2026-09-26. Last updated: 2026-09-26. https://disputeindex.com/events/2780-thompson-led-house-homeland-security-committee-democrats-in