A senior commander in Donald Trump's immigration enforcement apparatus has publicly praised an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent involved in the fatal shooting of a protester, Renee Nicole Good, last week.
Commander Cites 'Means, Intent and Opportunity'
Greg Bovino, a prominent Border Patrol commander, spoke to Fox News on Monday about the incident. He commended ICE agent Jonathan Ross for his actions during the confrontation that led to Good's death. Bovino applied a common law enforcement framework to justify the use of force, stating that Good's actions provided the 'means, intent and opportunity' for an attack.
'Did that individual have the intent?' Bovino asked rhetorically. 'Look at those minutes leading up to the shooting and we will see what I would consider some pretty important intent.' He described Good's vehicle as a 'four-thousand pound missile' headed toward Ross, arguing the agent faced an immediate threat in a 'very inhospitable environment.'
Bovino concluded, 'Hats off to that ICE agent, I'm glad he made it out alive, I'm glad he's with his family.'
Escalating Tensions and Conflicting Narratives
The shooting has ignited fierce political debate. While the Trump administration, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, has fully backed Agent Ross, claiming he acted in self-defence, Democrats and liberal activists have widely condemned the shooting. At Sunday's Golden Globes ceremony, some celebrities wore pins honouring Good.
Newly emerged footage shows Good and her wife, Rebecca, taunting agents in the minutes before the shooting. Surveillance video indicates Good blocked a road with her SUV for approximately four minutes prior to the incident. About twenty seconds after arriving, a passenger believed to be Rebecca Good exited the vehicle, reportedly to film any potential clash.
Recordings show an officer approaching Good's stationary Honda Pilot, grabbing the door handle and demanding she open it. As the vehicle began to pull forward, Agent Ross drew his weapon and fired three shots, jumping back. The SUV then struck two parked cars before stopping. It remains unclear from available videos if the vehicle made contact with Ross.
In emotional footage from the scene, Rebecca Good admitted, 'I made her come down here, it's my fault.' However, Good's mother, Donna Ganger, has disputed claims her daughter was there to protest, saying she would not have been 'part of anything like' the anti-ICE demonstrations.
Fundraisers and Investigations
The aftermath has seen significant financial support mobilised for both sides. A GoFundMe for Good's family, seeking $50,000 to support her wife and three children, was closed after raising an astonishing more than $1.5 million from over 38,500 donations in just four days. The funds will be placed in a trust, including for Good's six-year-old son.
Conversely, a separate fundraiser for Agent Jonathan Ross has raised over $300,000, aided by a donation from hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman. The fundraiser's organiser, Clyde Emmons, labelled Good a 'domestic terrorist' and called the officer's actions '1,000 percent justified.'
Agent Ross is an Iraq War veteran with nearly two decades of service in Border Patrol and ICE. He was seriously injured just six months prior in a separate incident in Bloomington, Minnesota, where he was dragged 100 yards by a car, requiring 33 stitches.
The FBI is now investigating the deadly use of force, and Minnesota authorities have also expressed a desire to probe the shooting. Some protesters are demanding criminal charges against Ross, as video evidence continues to be scrutinised to determine whether the shooting constituted lawful self-defence.
