Top Trump administration officials, including FBI Director Kash Patel, intervened to stop a civil rights investigation into the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, according to a report by The New York Times. The move was allegedly motivated by fears that such a probe would undermine President Trump’s claims about the incident.
The day of the shooting, federal prosecutor Joseph Thompson sought a warrant to search Good’s vehicle, intending to collaborate with state investigators to determine whether the shooting was justified or violated her civil rights. However, after FBI agents obtained a warrant to document evidence, they received orders to stop their work.
Instead, the Justice Department encouraged investigators to pursue a criminal case against Good for assaulting ICE agent Jonathan Ross and to investigate her partner. A civil rights case was never opened, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said federal officials blocked its access to evidence.
President Trump had initially claimed that Good “violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE Officer,” while Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Nome called her a domestic terrorist. These assertions were unsupported by evidence and contradicted by video footage.
The handling of the case prompted resignations from Minnesota prosecutors, including Thompson, and an FBI officer reportedly quit over pressure to avoid a civil rights inquiry. Attorney General Pam Bondi said she fired the prosecutors, accusing them of failing to support ICE.
Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee have demanded records from the Justice Department regarding the decision not to pursue a civil rights investigation. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty has also requested evidence from federal authorities as part of a local inquiry into Good’s death.
