Minneapolis Family Speaks Out About Poet and Mother Killed by ICE Agent
MINNEAPOLIS – Nearly two months after Renée Nicole Macklin Good, a 37-year-old mother of three and award-winning poet, was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent, her family is sharing memories of the woman they knew, seeking to reclaim her narrative amidst widespread attention on her death. The shooting, which occurred January 7, 2026, has sparked protests across the United States.
The family – parents Donna and Tim Ganger, and brothers Brent and Luke Ganger – have largely avoided media coverage of the incident, including videos depicting the moment of the shooting. “I can’t bring myself to do that,” Brent Ganger said. His father echoed this sentiment, stating they have “intentionally just let that go.”
Instead, they are focusing on celebrating Good’s life and the impact she had on those around her. “We’re the ones who know Renee. No one else knows Renee,” Luke Ganger emphasized. “There’s a bunch of opinions and whatever, but we’re the ones who know her, and those other things aren’t going to change that.”
Donna Ganger, holding a stuffed animal given to her by her daughter, shared a particularly poignant detail. She recounted the only footage of the incident she has watched: Good telling her shooter, ICE agent Jonathan Ross, “I’m not mad at you.” “That was so Renee,” she said, highlighting her daughter’s capacity for forgiveness and compassion.
The family describes Good as a fiercely loving mother, daughter, and sister with an infectious laugh. Her death has left a void, but they hope to ensure her legacy extends beyond the circumstances of her passing.
The shooting is under investigation, and raises questions about the use of force by ICE agents. According to recent reports, ICE agents have broad authority to use force, a topic of ongoing debate and scrutiny. [3]
