A crowdfunding campaign set up to support the family of a woman fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer last week has closed after raising a staggering sum of more than $1.5 million in donations.
Overwhelming Public Support for the Good Family
The GoFundMe page, established to aid Renee Nicole Good's wife, Rebecca, and her three children, amassed over 38,500 individual donations in just four days. Organisers had initially sought $50,000 to help the family grapple with their devastating loss. The final total, however, surpassed that target by more than 28 times, with a single anonymous donor contributing $50,000 alone.
In an update on Friday, organisers announced the fundraiser's closure, stating the funds would be placed in a trust for the family. This includes Good's six-year-old son, who was orphaned by the tragedy. "If you're looking to donate, we encourage you to support others in need," they said.
A Widow's Tribute to 'Pure Sunshine'
Rebecca Good shared a poignant statement with MPR News, expressing profound gratitude for the global outpouring of support. "The kindness of strangers is the most fitting tribute because if you ever encountered my wife, Renee Nicole Macklin Good, you know that above all else, she was kind," she said.
Rebecca described her wife as a radiant Christian who believed in universal compassion. "Renee was made of sunshine," she stated. "She lived by an overarching belief: there is kindness in the world and we need to do everything we can to find it where it resides and nurture it where it needs to grow."
The grieving widow also addressed the fatal confrontation on Wednesday afternoon, starkly contrasting their peaceful intentions with the agents' armed response. "We stopped to support our neighbours. We had whistles. They had guns," Rebecca declared.
Controversy and Investigation Surround the Shooting
The incident, which has sparked global outrage and fierce political debate, occurred when ICE Officer Jonathan 'Jon' Ross shot Good three times after she allegedly ignored demands to exit her SUV. The Trump administration has defended Ross, an Iraq War veteran and experienced officer, arguing he acted in self-defence, believing Good intended to run him over.
However, video footage has raised serious questions. Recordings show Ross approaching Good's stationary Honda Pilot, grabbing the door handle, and firing three shots in quick succession as the vehicle began to move forward. It remains unclear if the car made contact. The FBI is now investigating the deadly use of force, with some protesters and Minnesota authorities demanding criminal charges against Ross.
Newly released surveillance video indicates Good had blocked the road with her SUV for approximately four minutes prior to the shooting. Witnesses claim she and Rebecca were acting as legal observers at an anti-ICE protest. Rebecca was seen filming the confrontation, having reportedly encouraged her wife to attend. "I made her come down here, it's my fault," she cried in footage from the scene.
In a stark counter-narrative, a separate fundraiser for Officer Ross, organised by a Michigan man who labelled Good a 'domestic terrorist', has raised over $300,000, aided by hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman.
Rebecca Good concluded her tribute with a commitment to her wife's values: "We honor her memory by living her values: rejecting hate and choosing compassion, turning away from fear and pursuing peace, refusing division and knowing we must come together to build a world where we all come home safe."
