Hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman has reportedly made a substantial donation to a fundraiser supporting a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent involved in a fatal shooting. The incident, which occurred during a protest in Minneapolis, has ignited fierce controversy and prompted a federal investigation.
The Fatal Shooting and Conflicting Accounts
Jonathan Ross, an ICE agent, fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good three times in the face at a protest in Minneapolis on Wednesday. According to official statements from ICE, the confrontation began when Good, a mother-of-three, allegedly refused demands to exit her burgundy SUV and then deliberately tried to run Ross over.
However, this version of events has been vehemently contested. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey publicly dismissed the ICE account as 'bulls***'. Witnesses at the scene stated that Good and her wife were acting as legal observers, filming the protest. Video footage appears to show Good ignoring commands to get out of her car, reversing her vehicle, and attempting to drive away before gunshots were fired.
The vehicle subsequently lost control, crashing into parked cars and a light pole at high speed. A bullet hole was later visible in the driver's side windshield.
Fundraisers and High-Profile Donations
The aftermath of the shooting has seen a dramatic financial polarisation. A GoFundMe campaign established for Renee Good, described as a poet who trained to resist ICE, raised an astonishing more than $1.5 million in just two days.
Conversely, a separate fundraiser for Agent Jonathan Ross has also garnered significant sums. William Ackman is listed as the top donor, having contributed $10,000. The Pershing Square Capital Management founder and CEO also shared the GoFundMe page on his X account. The campaign, organised by Michigan-based Clyde Emmons, has raised over $160,000. Emmons described Good as a 'domestic terrorist' and asserted the officer's actions were '1,000 percent justified'.
The Daily Mail has contacted Ackman's representatives to confirm his involvement. This is not Ackman's first major public donation; he previously gave $99,999 to a fundraiser for Ahmed Al‑Ahmed, a Syrian refugee hailed as a hero for confronting a gunman during a Hanukkah celebration in Bondi Beach.
Political Fallout and Ongoing Investigation
The case has rapidly escalated into a major political flashpoint. State and local officials in Minnesota have demanded that ICE leave the state following Good's death, a demand rebuffed by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem.
Noem and DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin have defended Ross, claiming he acted in self-defence, fearing for his life and the safety of others. Noem labelled Good's actions 'an act of domestic terrorism'. The stance has found support from former President Donald Trump and his administration, who have backed Ross's self-defence claim.
A federal investigation into Renee Good's death is currently ongoing. Agent Ross, an Iraq war veteran married to a Filipina immigrant named Patrixia and a father, has been an immigration agent since at least 2013. Renee Good, originally from Colorado Springs, lived in Minneapolis with her partner.
