The former father-in-law of a woman fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in the United States has said he does not blame the federal agency for her death, instead calling for a national turn to faith and forgiveness.
A Plea for Peace Amid Tragedy
In an interview with CNN, Timmy Macklin Sr., the ex-father-in-law of Renee Nicole Good, addressed the controversy surrounding her death on January 7 in Minneapolis. Good was shot dead while protesting against immigration officers. Macklin, who described himself as a supporter of former President Donald Trump, stated he was not offended by the president's characterisation of the incident.
He expressed a deep hope that the hostilities fuelled by the national debate over her death would subside. "I just wish that, you know, if we're walking in the spirit of God, I don't think she would have been there. That's the way I look at it," Macklin told the network.
Remembering 'An Amazing Person'
Macklin fondly remembered Good, who was married to his late son. "Renee was an amazing person, she was full of life and full of joy, real gentle, a good mother," he said. His son died in 2023, and Macklin is now the grandfather to Good's six-year-old son, who has been orphaned by the tragedy.
During the CNN interview, anchor Erin Burnett pressed Macklin on whether he believed the shooting was justified. He declined to assign blame to any party involved. "I don't blame ICE. I don't blame (Good's wife) Rebecca. I don't blame Renee," he stated firmly.
A Call for Spiritual Guidance
Macklin's central message was one of spiritual reflection and personal responsibility. He suggested that the root of the tragedy, and wider global conflict, lay in human error and a departure from faith.
"I just think we make bad choices, and that's the problem, there is so much chaos in the whole world today... We need to turn to God and walk in the spirit of God, and let him lead us and guide us," he urged. His comments represent a personal appeal for reconciliation and a focus on faith as a path forward from the polarising ICE shooting incident.
