The recent fatal shooting of a mother by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis has sparked outrage over the presence of ICE agents in the city. As videos emerged from the scene, they were quickly weaponized to misinterpret events and justify the innocent woman's death.
In this context, it is more critical than ever to trust what we see with our own eyes. The Trump administration's spin on these events, portraying a brutal terrorist attack by a 37-year-old mother against a federal agent, is not backed up by the videos. Instead, they show Renee Nicole Good, a mother of three, waving vehicles to pass her, as if directing traffic.
The ICE agent who fired multiple shots at close range killing her was identified as Jonathan Ross. The videos taken in the aftermath of the shooting reveal a woman sitting on the snow-covered ground, howling in unimaginable pain, and saying, "They killed my wife." Another video shows a man identifying himself as a physician, pleading with the officers to be allowed to check Good for a pulse.
However, the Trump administration's preferred narrative has been disseminated through conservative media outlets. President Donald Trump pointed to a video showing a woman screaming as evidence that Renee Nicole Good was a "professional agitator." The New York Times found in its analysis of the videos that Ross was not struck by the vehicle, even if interpreted in the most generous-to-ICE way.
The bad actors pushing this alternate version of events have a vested interest in seeing ICE's campaign of terror continue at any cost. Violence is inherent in these raids, and the deportation machine is functioning as intended by consuming anyone in its path. Good is not the first person to lose her life to this anti-immigrant regime.
As we move forward, it is essential to trust our own eyes and ears rather than being misled by distorted narratives. The Intercept has long covered authoritarian governments, billionaire oligarchs, and backsliding democracies around the world. We understand the challenge we face in Trump and the vital importance of press freedom in defending democracy.
In this context, it is more critical than ever to trust what we see with our own eyes. The Trump administration's spin on these events, portraying a brutal terrorist attack by a 37-year-old mother against a federal agent, is not backed up by the videos. Instead, they show Renee Nicole Good, a mother of three, waving vehicles to pass her, as if directing traffic.
The ICE agent who fired multiple shots at close range killing her was identified as Jonathan Ross. The videos taken in the aftermath of the shooting reveal a woman sitting on the snow-covered ground, howling in unimaginable pain, and saying, "They killed my wife." Another video shows a man identifying himself as a physician, pleading with the officers to be allowed to check Good for a pulse.
However, the Trump administration's preferred narrative has been disseminated through conservative media outlets. President Donald Trump pointed to a video showing a woman screaming as evidence that Renee Nicole Good was a "professional agitator." The New York Times found in its analysis of the videos that Ross was not struck by the vehicle, even if interpreted in the most generous-to-ICE way.
The bad actors pushing this alternate version of events have a vested interest in seeing ICE's campaign of terror continue at any cost. Violence is inherent in these raids, and the deportation machine is functioning as intended by consuming anyone in its path. Good is not the first person to lose her life to this anti-immigrant regime.
As we move forward, it is essential to trust our own eyes and ears rather than being misled by distorted narratives. The Intercept has long covered authoritarian governments, billionaire oligarchs, and backsliding democracies around the world. We understand the challenge we face in Trump and the vital importance of press freedom in defending democracy.