Renee Good’s Family Share Their ‘Unimaginable Loss’ After Her Death in Fatal ICE Shooting, Remember Her as ‘Full of Heart’
The 37-year-old mother of three was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on Wednesday, January 7th
The extended family of Renee Nicole Good, the woman fatally shot by ICE agents in Minneapolis are speaking out
In a statement released via U.K. newspaper The Guardian, the family describes the “unimaginable loss,” and remember Renee as “full of heart and never defined by malice”
Renee, who was driving with her current partner, Becca Good, had just dropped off her 6-year-old child at school when she encountered federal immigration agents
Renee Nicole Good’s extended family is speaking out after the mother of three was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis.
The Fateful Day
On Wednesday, January 7th, Renee, 37, had just dropped her 6-year-old child off at school before a deadly encounter with federal immigration agents, PEOPLE previously reported.
She’d been driving home with her current partner, Becca Good, when they came upon a group of ICE agents, her ex-husband told the Associated Press. The man, who asked to remain anonymous, said Renee and her partner had moved to Minneapolis last year from Kansas City, Mo.
Family Speaks Out
Becca released a lengthy statement with Minnesota Public Radio two days after her wife’s death and now Renee’s extended family is also speaking out.
Most of them are relatives of her late husband, Timmy Macklin Jr., who died at age 36 in 2023 and is the father of her youngest son, per U.K. newspaper The Guardian.
The relatives spoke to The Guardian, as well as releasing an emotional statement on Monday, January 12th, insisting they hoped the “unimaginable loss” that the family had suffered would lead to change and “fewer families [who] have to endure this kind of pain,” the paper reported. They want people to focus their conversations around “humanity, empathy, and care for the family most affected” following the shooting.
Remembering Renee
Macklin Jr.’s parents and siblings added that Renee was “an extraordinary mother, devoted, fiercely loving, and always putting her children at the center of the world. She was full of heart and never defined by malice,” per The Guardian.
As well as sharing her 6-year-old child with Macklin Jr., Renee was also a mom to two older children, a daughter and a son from her first marriage, who are 12 and 15 years old, the AP previously reported.
A Call for Compassion
Macklin Jr.’s sister, Jessica Fletcher, said in a statement on behalf of Renee’s extended family, “Our family is grieving deeply, and we are speaking now with care, clarity, and love during a time of unimaginable loss. At the center of this tragedy are lives we love, and a family forever changed,” according to The Oregonian.
The family didn’t mention ICE in their comments, per The Guardian, but Jessica did say, “I don’t want to open it up into this huge fight with the opposing side. That would just be pouring more gasoline on the fire. But not saying something is political too.”
“We know Renee would be there too, cheering on those who fight for justice and standing with the people, causes, and community she loved. We hope this inspires accountability, compassion, and meaningful change,” the family’s statement continued, according to the paper.
Who Renee Was
Jessica shared, “There’s been so much hateful rhetoric back and forth, and what’s been missed is painting a picture of who Renee was,” she said.
Charlene Fletcher, Renee’s former mother-in-law, told the paper that meeting Renee had “made me a better mother.”
She said, “It feels deeply wrong that Renee died in this way. She had a beautiful voice that everyone should have had the chance to hear. The last thing Renee would have wanted was violence carried out in her name.”
New Video Evidence
The tributes come after on Monday, January 12th, the latest cell phone recording of the fatal shooting revealed that Renee had a dog in her vehicle, which survived, during the incident.
The confrontation was captured on video by an ICE agent, who was circling Renee’s Honda Pilot while she sat in the driver’s seat. Renee’s wife, Becca, was standing outside the vehicle talking to the agent, and the since-released footage shows a black dog sitting in the backseat watching with the window rolled down.
The incident quickly escalated when Renee began to move her car, prompting an agent who has since been identified as Jonathan Ross, to fire his weapon at her. The vehicle continued driving away after Renee had been shot and crashed down the road. A voice behind the camera was then heard saying, “F—ing bitch.”
Becca’s Account
A Minneapolis resident who lives near the site of the shooting told PEOPLE that they asked Becca shortly afterward whether she had anyone she could call. Becca replied, “That’s my wife. They shot her in the f—-ing head, dude. This is ridiculous!”
Becca released a statement about the shooting on January 9th, writing that she and Renee had recently moved to Minnesota “to make a better life for ourselves,” PEOPLE previously reported.
“What we found when we got here was a vibrant and welcoming community; we made friends and spread joy,” she said. “And while any place we were together was home, there was a strong shared sense here in Minneapolis that we were looking out for each other. Here, I had finally found peace and safe harbor. That has been taken from me forever.”
Why They Were There
Becca also shared how the two ended up encountering ICE on that fateful day.
“On Wednesday, January 7th, we stopped to support our neighbors,” she noted. “We had whistles. They had guns.”
A Complex Family Network
The fact that Renee’s extended family speaking out consists primarily of her late husband’s relatives demonstrates the complex web of relationships she maintained. Despite Timmy Macklin Jr.’s death in 2023 and Renee’s subsequent marriage to Becca, the Macklin family clearly remained close to Renee and considered her family.
Charlene Fletcher’s statement that meeting Renee “made me a better mother” is particularly powerful, coming from someone who was technically her former mother-in-law. This speaks to Renee’s character and the lasting impact she had on those around her.
Three Children Left Behind
Renee’s death leaves three children without a mother:
- A 15-year-old son from her first marriage
- A 12-year-old daughter from her first marriage
- A 6-year-old son whose father, Timmy Macklin Jr., died in 2023
The youngest child is now an orphan, having lost both parents within three years. The Macklin family’s grandfather previously told reporters he would do whatever it takes to care for his grandson, including driving or flying to get him.
Navigating Political Waters
Jessica Fletcher’s comment about not wanting to “open it up into this huge fight with the opposing side” while acknowledging that “not saying something is political too” reflects the impossible position grieving families find themselves in when their personal tragedies become political flashpoints.
The family is trying to honor Renee’s memory and advocate for change without contributing to the divisive rhetoric that has surrounded the case. Their focus on “humanity, empathy, and care” represents an attempt to transcend partisan politics and focus on the human cost of the shooting.
Renee’s Values
The family’s statement that “Renee would be there too, cheering on those who fight for justice and standing with the people, causes, and community she loved” aligns with what Becca and others have said about why the couple stopped that day—they were supporting their neighbors.
Charlene Fletcher’s assertion that “the last thing Renee would have wanted was violence carried out in her name” is particularly significant given the protests and heated rhetoric that have followed the shooting.
A Voice Silenced
The description of Renee having “a beautiful voice that everyone should have had the chance to hear” takes on multiple meanings. As a published poet who won Old Dominion University’s undergraduate poetry prize, Renee literally had a literary voice. But the statement also refers to her perspective, her advocacy, and her contributions to her community—all silenced by the fatal shooting.
Moving Forward
As the family navigates their “unimaginable loss,” they’re attempting to balance grief with advocacy, remembrance with calls for change, and personal mourning with public tragedy. Their measured statements reflect a desire to honor Renee’s memory while working toward systemic changes that might prevent other families from experiencing similar loss.
The extended family’s willingness to speak out, despite the political minefield surrounding the case, demonstrates their commitment to ensuring Renee is remembered as a person—a devoted mother, a loving partner, a talented poet, and someone who made those around her better—rather than just another statistic in debates about immigration enforcement.
As investigations continue and the community processes this tragedy, the family’s words serve as a reminder that behind every headline and policy debate are real people with real lives, real relationships, and real grief that will last long after the news cycle moves on.