The mayor of Minneapolis unleashed a torrent of expletives during a live television interview, vehemently disputing the official account of a fatal shooting by a federal immigration agent in his city.
A Mayor's Fury on National Television
Mayor Jacob Frey's anger was palpable during a Wednesday evening appearance on CNN with Anderson Cooper. The discussion centred on the death of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, who was shot three times in the face by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent during an afternoon protest.
Frey did not mince his words, directly contradicting the federal agency's claim that Good had deliberately driven her car at agents. "The narrative that ICE is spinning immediately after this was that this was purely self defence, and that the act by the victim was some sort of domestic terrorism," Frey raged. "That, and I'll say it again, is bulls**t. That is bulls**t."
This televised outburst came just hours after the mayor had publicly demanded that ICE agents "get the f**k out of Minneapolis" following the shooting.
Contested Details of a Fatal Confrontation
The incident, captured in now-viral video footage, shows a dramatic and chaotic scene. Good was behind the wheel of a maroon Honda Pilot SUV as ICE agents ordered her to exit the vehicle. She then reversed the car and drove away, at which point an officer opened fire. The SUV subsequently crashed into two parked cars.
While ICE maintains Good posed a direct threat, Mayor Frey presented a starkly different interpretation. He suggested Good was attempting a "three-point turn" and argued her actions were "clearly not [done] with any sort of intention to run someone over." He added, "You don’t need a legal degree to know that that doesn’t authorise a use of deadly force."
The 44-year-old mayor, in office since 2018, escalated his criticism, accusing federal agents of unconstitutional behaviour. "The things that are taking place are not just illegal, they are unconstitutional," Frey stated. "They are coming in here, they are claiming it's about safety, and it ain't... What they are doing is terrorising communities."
National Repercussions and a Community in Mourning
The shooting and the mayor's forceful response have ignited a fierce national debate and sparked protests. Federal officials have firmly backed the agent's actions. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem described Good's actions as "an act of domestic terrorism" and said the officer "acted quickly and defensively."
Vice President JD Vance pledged unwavering support for ICE agents, telling them the administration "stands behind them" and vowing to "work even harder to enforce the law." President Trump labelled the deceased a "professional agitator" and supported the self-defence claim.
Meanwhile, the human cost of the tragedy has come into sharp focus. Renee Nicole Good, a poet and mother-of-three from Colorado Springs, was pronounced dead in hospital. Her six-year-old son is now orphaned, as her previous husband, comedian Timothy Macklin, died in 2023. Her uncle revealed the devastating news arrived on her older sister's birthday.
In the aftermath, protests erupted in Minneapolis and other cities, including Chicago, where demonstrators held vigils and signs reading 'RESIST ICE'. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz acknowledged public anger but urged peaceful protest, stating he was prepared to deploy the National Guard if necessary. "Minnesota will not allow our community to be used as a prop in a national political fight," Walz asserted.
