A prosecutor’s office in Minnesota said that the state can bring criminal charges against the ICE agent who shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, even as federal authorities lead the investigation into the incident captured on video by a bystander.
“We have jurisdiction to bring charges, as do the feds. It’s a bit complicated, but the bottom line is we have the authority to bring criminal charges,” said Daniel Borgertpoepping, a spokesperson for the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, to The Associated Press.
Good died Wednesday after an ICE agent fired three shots during a federal operation in south Minneapolis. This triggered protests and further tension between federal officials and local leaders about what happened just before the shooting.
The Department of Homeland Security claimed that Good “weaponized” her vehicle and that an officer fired in self-defense. DHS head huncho Kristi Noem also referred to the incident as “domestic terrorism.”
Local officials disagreed with that account after examining the video, and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey stated publicly that the footage did not support a self-defense claim.
Whether a state can prosecute a federal officer usually depends on whether the officer acted within the scope of their duties and if their actions were reasonable under the circumstances.
Legal experts weigh in on deadly Minneapolis ICE shooting — and whether charges are possible https://t.co/Jo2MlcOX1W pic.twitter.com/jmhjvnuBdu
— New York Post (@nypost) January 8, 2026
Reuters reported that federal officers generally have immunity from state prosecution for actions taken as part of their work, but that protection may be lost if a court finds the conduct clearly unlawful or beyond the officer’s role.
The chain of custody for the investigation has also become a source of tension. The Associated Press noted that Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigators were initially expected to collaborate with the FBI, but state officials later stated they could not access evidence after federal authorities took full control of the case.
Federal authorities have not identified the agent who fired the shots and the FBI is investigating.
Video of the incident spread widely online and led to conflicting narratives usually depending on their political leaning. Reuters reported that footage shows agents approaching Good’s SUV while it was parked in the street, then moving forward while an agent stood near the front of the vehicle before three shots were fired. It remains unclear whether the SUV struck the agent, and at least one shot appeared to be fired after the vehicle had already passed.
Good is a poet, who has three children per reports, with the youngest being six-years-old.
The shooting took place during a significant federal enforcement operation in the Twin Cities area. Federal officials have stated that the operation involves a large deployment tied partly to alleged fraud investigations involving nonprofit groups linked to Minnesota’s Somali community.
Protests spread beyond Minneapolis as demonstrators rallied against ICE operations and the use of deadly force. The Associated Press reported protests in several major U.S. cities and noted that some local and tribal leaders urged residents to avoid contact with federal agents.
Borgertpoepping stated that the county attorney’s office will not decide whether to charge the agent until investigators finish their work.
