Who was Renee Nicole Good? What we know about the woman killed by ICE

By now millions of people have seen the moment thatan ICE agent fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Nicole Goodin Minneapolis.

Good's defenders − including city and state leaders − are calling what happened on Jan. 7 an unjustified attack, while federal authorities say the agent was acting in self-defense. Already her death has become a lightning rod in an already tense and divided nation.

But whatever Good was trying to do amid an immigration enforcement operation that was unwelcomed by the city, she was more than the last seconds of her life.

Her mother, Donna Ganger,told the Minnesota Star Tribunethat Good lived with her partner in Minneapolis and was a compassionate woman who had "taken care of people all her life."

"She was loving, forgiving and affectionate," Ganger told the newspaper. "She was an amazing human being."

Vigil held for woman killed in ICE related shooting in Minneapolis

Though most of them had never heard of Good's name before Wednesday, hundreds of people attended a vigil in Good's honor hours after the shooting, chanting over and over again: "Say her name! Renee Good! Say her name! Renee Good!"

As Minneapolis and ICE grapple with the national spotlight on the confrontation that killed Good and the ensuing firestorm, USA TODAY is working to learn about who Good was and what drove her to go to the scene of what would become the site of her death.

Here's what we know so far.

What else do we know about Renee Nicole Good?

On her Instagram account, Good describes herself as a "poet and writer and wife and mom and (expletive) guitar strummer from Colorado" who was "experiencing Minneapolis."

Good, originally from Colorado Springs, went on to study creative writing at Old Dominion University in Virginia, according toa social media postfrom the school. The award-winning poet hosted a podcast with her then husband, Tim Macklin, andgraduated in 2020, according to the school.

"When she is not writing, reading, or talking about writing, she has movie marathons and makes messy art with her daughter and two sons," the school said.

The Star Tribunereported that Macklin, 36, died in 2023 and was the father of Good's 6-year-old son, citing Timmy Ray Macklin Sr., the father of Good's late husband. Good's ex-husband, who was not identified, toldThe Washington Postandthe Associated Pressthat Good's two other children were 15 and 12 years old.

Good's father, Tim Ganger, told thePosthis daughter lived with her parents in Valley Falls, Kansas for a time after Macklin's death.

"She had a good life, but a hard life," Ganger told the outlet. "She was a wonderful person."

Good also spent about two years living in Kansas City, Missouri,according to records obtained by KMBC.Joan Rose told the outlet her former neighbor was "not a terrorist. Not an extremist. That was just a mom who loved her kids, loved her spouse."

Mary Radford, 27, told the Star Tribune that Good had recently moved in next door to her in Minnesota and she had had "wonderful conversations" with her family.

"We're gonna miss seeing them — forever," she said.

A GoFundMethat USA TODAY is working to verify says that donated funds will go toward Good's wife and son "as they grapple with the devastating loss of their wife and mother. It describes Good as "pure sunshine, pure love."

What do we know about why Good was at immigration enforcement?

Details are few on what Good was doing at the immigration enforcement operation.

The Minneapolis City Councilsaid in a statement to NPRthat Good "was out caring for her neighbors" when the confrontation happened.

Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar described Good as a "legal observer." Legal observers often attend police actions to document and monitor law enforcement behavior − a common practice used by activists from the Black Panthers in the 1960s and 1970s to Northern Ireland during The Troubles.

A LinkedIn profile that appears to be Good's lists her as a working in real estate investment and property management and renovation.

Good's mother, Ganger, told the Tribune that her daughter wasn't "part of anything like that at all," referring to protesters who have been obstructing ICE agents. She said her daughter "was probably terrified."

One person was killed in a shooting involving a federal immigration agent in Minneapolis, Minnesota, officials said. Minneapolis Gov. Tim Walz said on Jan. 7 that the shooting involved U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which has surged agents into the Minneapolis area amid a broader federal crackdown on fraud in the state. Here, a member of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) restrains a protester trying to block vehicles from leaving the scene after a driver of a vehicle was shot.

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Federal agent fatally shoots woman in Minneapolis: See chaotic scene

One person was killed ina shooting involvinga federal immigration agent in Minneapolis, Minnesota, officials said. Minneapolis Gov.Tim Walzsaid on Jan. 7that the shooting involved U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which has surged agents into the Minneapolis area amid a broader federal crackdown on fraud in the state. Here, a member of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) restrains a protester trying to block vehicles from leaving the scene after a driver of a vehicle was shot.

Vigil held to honor Renee Nicole Good

About 1,000 people attended a vigil held in freezing temperatures on Wednesday night to honor Renee Nicole Good.

"We're here today because this is a profound tragedy for Renee and her loved ones and her family," Minnesota State Rep. Aisha Gomez told the crowd.

Erin Stene, a community organizer in Minneapolis, said people are expected to be at the site for "as long as they need to be."

"I think people are grieving and processing," Stene said. "I think folks will be out here as long as they need to be."

City, state officials defend Renee Nicole Good

State Rep. Leigh Finke said in a statementobtained by the New York Timesthat Good was a cherished Minnesotan and a "loved and celebrated community member, who has now been stripped from her family."

City Mayor Jacob Frey said that he was "deeply sorry" to Good's family.

"There are no words that can make this moment better," he said. "Our hearts are with you."

Contributing: N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA TODAY; Corey Schmidt, St. Cloud Times, part of the USA TODAY Network

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Who was Renee Nicole Good? What we know about woman killed by ICE

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

January 08, 2026

Who was Renee Nicole Good? What we know about the woman killed by ICE

By now millions of people have seen the moment thatan ICE agent fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Nicole Goodin Minneapolis....

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Russian drone strikes cause major blackouts in two regions of Ukraine

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian drone strikes temporarily knocked out power to the entire southern Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine and left more than 600,000 households in the central Dnipropetrovsk region without electricity, officials said Thursday.

The bombardment occurred against the backdrop ofU.S.-led diplomatic effortsto stop the fighting, nearly four years afterRussia invaded its neighbor.

Ukraine and its Western allies have been working to establish a framework for a peace settlement, but Moscow has given no public sign it iswilling to compromise.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy chided Russia for aiming at public services in the nighttime attack.

"There is no military rationale for such strikes on energy facilities and infrastructure that leave people without electricity and heating in winter conditions," Zelenskyy said on social media.

Russia hasrepeatedly targetedUkraine's power grid since it invaded, denying civilians heat and running water in a strategy Ukrainian officials call "weaponizing winter."

The Zaporizhzhia region, which before the war had a population of around 1.5 million, was left without power for four hours for the first time since the invasion.

Emergency crews repaired the grid in Zaporizhzhia but in Dnipropetrovsk there was still no power for hundreds of thousands of people on Thursday afternoon, private energy company DTEK said.

"It is important that our partners around the world respond to Russia's abuse of people," Zelenskyy said. He has urged countries to exert greater pressure on Moscow to stop its aggression. In a post on social media later Thursday, Zelenskyy said there was information that "a new massive Russian attack may occur tonight," and he urged people to pay attention to air alerts in the coming days and to take shelter.

An agreement for the United States to provide postwar security guarantees to Ukraine "is ready to be finalized," Zelenskyy said, indicating that he could sign it alongside U.S. President Donald Trump.

The agreement would help deter any future Russian attack, but only after a peace deal is reached.

Zelenskyy said that Ukraine, the U.S. and European countries are still discussing postwar reconstruction and development.

Ukraine has presented to U.S. officials possible options for a peace settlement, and Washington will discuss them with Russia, Zelenskyy said.

"We're waiting for a feedback on whether the enemy is truly ready to end the war," Zelenskyy added. During the day Thursday, Russia launched two ballistic missiles on Kryvyi Rih, hitting apartment buildings and injuring 10 people with one man in critical condition, according to Oleksandr Vikul, head of the regional military administration.

The Russian Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said air defenses downed 66 Ukrainian drones overnight over Russian regions, the illegally annexed Crimea, the Black Sea and the Azov Sea.

Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine athttps://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

January 08, 2026

Russian drone strikes cause major blackouts in two regions of Ukraine

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian drone strikes temporarily knocked out power to the entire southern Zaporizhzhia region of Uk...

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Brazil’s Lula vetoes bill that could reduce Bolsonaro’s prison time

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Thursday vetoed a bill that could reduce the27-year prison sentenceof his predecessor Jair Bolsonaro for the far-right leader's failed 2023 coup attempt.

Lula, who had alreadypledged to blockthe proposal, announced the decision during a ceremony at the presidential palace in capital Brasilia. It came on the third anniversary of the riots led by Bolsonaro's supporters that destroyed government buildings and helped build the case against the former president.

The Senate passed the bill in December.Brazil's Congress could override Lula's veto, but analysts say that could be a risky move for lawmakers ahead of next October's general elections. The80-year-old leftist presidentis currently a frontrunner in a likely battle withSen. Flávio Bolsonaro, one of the former president's sons.

"We don't have the right of forgetting our past. That's why we don't accept dictatorships, civilian or military," Lula told members of the three branches of power during the ceremony. "January 8th is marked by history as the day of our democracy's victory. It is victory against those who tried to seize power through force, ignoring popular will expressed in the polls."

Lula narrowly won his third term against Bolsonaro, who was later ruled ineligible to run until 2030 for abuse of power during the campaign trail. In November the former president started serving for his attempted coup conviction, extending that deadline for the 70-year-old leader until 2033. There are other cases pending against him.

Lower house speaker Hugo Motta and the president of Brazil's Senate, Davi Alcolumbre, did not attend the ceremony. Bolsonaro supporters also destroyed part of congress during the2023 riots, often compared to the storming of Capitol Hill by voters of U.S. President Donald Trump one year earlier.

If Lula had not vetoed the bill, the count of attempting a coup d'etat would be absorbed into another charge, which would then reduce Bolsonaro's prison sentence. Other convicts linked to the coup trial could have their jail time reduced by two-thirds.

Bolsonaro's lawyers have urged authorities to put him in house arrest due tohis poor health.He has been in and out of hospitals since he was stabbed by a man found to be mentally ill during the 2018 election campaign.

Neither the former president nor his lawyers have made comments about Lula's decision.

Follow the AP's coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean athttps://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

January 08, 2026

Brazil’s Lula vetoes bill that could reduce Bolsonaro’s prison time

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Thursday vetoed a bill that could reduce the27-year ...

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Mexico's daily murder rate down 40% under Sheinbaum, president says

MEXICO CITY, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Mexico's daily murder rate has fallen nearly 40% ​from where it was when ‌Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum took office, government officials said ‌on Thursday, citing preliminary statistics.

The daily homicide average in December 2025 was 52.4, down from 86.9 in September 2024, the month ⁠before Sheinbaum took ‌office.

"It is the lowest number since 2016," Sheinbaum said at her ‍morning press conference alongside security officials.

For the full year, Mexico's national murder rate per 100,000 ​people was 17.5 in 2025, the lowest ‌since 2015, according to a presentation by the head of Mexico's National Public Security System.

Sheinbaum said the numbers showed her government's security strategy was producing results and ⁠credited close collaboration between ​security and justice officials and ​state governors.

Homicide numbers are usually revised, often upwards, when they are ‍formally released ⁠by the national statistics agency INEGI after going through a process of revisions, ⁠checks and adjustments.

(Reporting by Raul Cortes Fernandez and ‌Brendan O'Boyle; Writing by Brendan O'Boyle; ‌editing by Stephen Eisenhammer)

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

January 08, 2026

Mexico's daily murder rate down 40% under Sheinbaum, president says

MEXICO CITY, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Mexico's daily murder rate has fallen nearly 40% ​from where it was when ‌Mexican Pres...

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2 killed in shooting outside Mormon church in Salt Lake City

Two people were killed and six others injured in a shooting outside a Salt Lake City church Wednesday night while mourners were attending a memorial service inside, police said.

The shooting took place in the back parking lot of a house of worship for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Utah-based faith known widely as the Mormon church.

Authorities said no suspect was in custody Wednesday.

All the victims were adults. At least three of the injured were in critical condition, police said.

Police said they do not believe the shooter had any animus toward a particular faith. They also don't think the shooting was random.

"We don't believe this was a targeted attack against a religion or anything like that," Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd said.

The red brick church in the northwest Salt Lake City neighborhood mostly serves Tongan congregants and holds regular worship services in their native tongue, according to its website.

Upon hearing gunshots, residents from a low-income housing complex next to the church flooded outside to help victims and console dozens of people who had been attending a funeral for a person who was not identified.

Brennan McIntire said he and his wife, Kenna, heard several loud gunshots from their apartment next to the church parking lot while watching TV. He jumped off the couch and ran outside in flip-flop sandals to see what happened.

"As soon as I came over, I see someone on the ground," he said. "People are attending to him and crying and arguing."

Kenna McIntire came outside soon after and was rattled at the sight of first responders lifting an unconscious woman into an ambulance while people huddled around and sobbed.

The couple said they hear gunshots in their neighborhood almost daily, but never right outside their door.

"It was really heartbreaking to hear and see," she said.

About 100 law enforcement vehicles were at the scene in the aftermath, and helicopters flew overhead. Neighbors huddled in blankets next to a taco truck, watching the officers work and waiting for updates.

Police said they were reviewing license plate readers and surveillance videos from nearby businesses in their search for a suspect.

"This should never have happened outside a place of worship. This should never have happened outside a celebration of life," Mayor Erin Mendenhall said.

The church, headquartered in Salt Lake City, was cooperating with law enforcement and said it was grateful for first responders' quick efforts.

"We extend prayers for all who have been impacted by this tragedy and express deep concern that any sacred space intended for worship should be subjected to violence of any kind," church spokesperson Sam Penrod said.

About half of Utah's 3.5 million residents are members of the faith. Houses of worship like the one where the shooting occurred can be found tucked into neighborhoods around the city and state.

The faith has been on heightened alert since four people were killed when a former Marine opened fire in a Michigan church last month and set it ablaze. The FBI found that he was motivated by "anti-religious beliefs" against Latter-day Saints.

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byCristiano Ronaldo

in

January 08, 2026

2 killed in shooting outside Mormon church in Salt Lake City

Two people were killed and six others injured in a shooting outside a Salt Lake City church Wednesday night while mourners were attending a...

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UK braces for heavy snow as cold weather snap in Europe persists

LONDON (AP) — Britain braced for potentially life-threatening winds, rains and snowfall as a severe storm rolled in from the southwest of England on Thursday during what already has been one of the country's worst cold snaps in years.

Forecasters said the brunt of the storm would hit central England with as much as 30 centimeters (12 inches) of snowfall in just a few hours, which could disrupt schools, travel and commerce, especially in rural areas.

The Met Office, Britain's national meteorological service, issued a rare red weather warning — its highest — for the southwest of England where wind gusts up to 100 mph (160 kph) were expected in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. It warned of "dangerous, stormy" winds and very large waves, damage to buildings and homes, flying debris, widespread travel cancellations and power cuts.

Red weather warnings are issued when the forecaster considers it to be "very likely that there will be a risk to life, with substantial disruption to travel, energy supplies and possibly widespread damage to property and infrastructure."

Storm Goretti, named by the French weather service France Meteo, was expected to leave Britain's shores on Friday and then impact other parts of northwest Europe that already have endured snow, ice and freezing temperatures in recent days.

Neil Armstrong, chief forecaster at the Met Office, described Goretti as a "multi-hazard event" with heavy rain, strong winds and snow. "This is a complex spell of severe weather," he said.

The Met Office also issued amber warnings for many parts of the U.K. These have an "increased likelihood of impacts from severe weather," meaning there is the possibility of travel delays, road and rail closures, flight cancellations, power cuts and potential risk to life and property.

the U.K. Health Security Agency also extended amber cold weather alerts acroos all regions of England until Jan. 12, meaning severe health impacts are expected. Officials expect a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions, with impacts also possible on younger age groups.

Many parts of Wales, northern England and Scotland have been blanketed over the past few days with snow that has led to numerous school closures and travel disruption.

In the Netherlands, the bad weather eased on Thursday, helping Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, which saw hundreds offlights canceledon each of the first three days of the working week. However, it was briefly hit by a power outage in the morning.

Dutch national carrier KLM said there were still long lines of passengers at the airport but added that it was "doing everything possible to ensure departing passengers leave on time."

On the opposite side of Europe, in the southeastern countries of the Balkans, bad weather was continuing to bring widespread disruption.

In Serbia, which celebrated the orthodox Christmas on Jan. 6, heavy snow has snarled traffic while temperatures in Slovenia have fallen to -25 degrees Celsisus (minus 13 Fahrenheit.

Bosnia, Kosovo and Montenegro faced floods after heavy rainfall and snow caused local rivers to overflow their banks, forcing dozens of people to evacuate their homes.

Mike Corder in The Hague, Netherlands and Jovana Gec in Belgrade contributed to this report.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

January 08, 2026

UK braces for heavy snow as cold weather snap in Europe persists

LONDON (AP) — Britain braced for potentially life-threatening winds, rains and snowfall as a severe storm rolled in from ...

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Senate considers limiting Trump's war powers after Venezuela raid

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is expected to vote on a resolution Thursday that would limitPresident Donald Trump'sability to conduct furtherattacks against Venezuela, setting up a test for hisexpanding ambitionsin the Western Hemisphere.

Thewar powers resolutionwould require Trump to get congressional approval before striking Venezuela again, and it comes after the U.S. military seized the president of the South American country,Nicolás Maduro, in a surprise nighttime raid and as Trump's administration is seeking to control Venezuela's oil resources and its government.

Democrats have failed to pass several such resolutions in the months that Trump escalated his campaign against Venezuela. But lawmakers argued that now that Trump has captured Maduro and set his sights to other conquestssuch as Greenland, the vote presents the Republican-controlled Congress with an opportunity.

"It's time for Congress to assert its control over military action of this kind, and it's time to get this out of secrecy and put it in the light," said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., who forced the vote.

Republican leaders have said they had no advance notification of theraid early morning Saturdayto seize Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, but mostly expressed satisfaction this week as top administration officials provided classified briefings on the operation.

The administration has used an evolving set of legal justifications for the monthslong campaign in Central and South America, fromdestroying alleged drug boatsunder authorizations for the global fight against terrorism to seizing Maduro in what was ostensibly a law enforcement operation toput him on trialin the United States.

Republican leaders have backed Trump.

"I think the president has demonstrated at least already a very strong commitment to peace through strength, especially in this hemisphere," said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. "I think Venezuela got that message loudly and clearly."

Lawmakers' response to the Venezuela operation

Before the vote on the resolution, several Republicans said they were carefully considering their decision, including Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who have previously voted against similar measures.

"We have a history of going in, liberating and leaving. I'm interested in the leaving part," Tillis said.

Asked whether he would support putting troops on the ground in Venezuela, he responded: "Not without congressional authorization."

A vote on asimilar resolution in Novembernarrowly failed to gain the majority needed for passage. Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska were the only Republicans voting in favor.

Paul, an outspoken proponent of war powers resolutions, acknowledged that Maduro is seen as a "bad guy" and "a socialist and an autocrat." But, Paul added, "The question is about who has the power to take the country to war?"

Some progressive Democrats have suggested inserting language in a defense appropriations bill to limit certain military actions, but that idea met resistance from more pragmatic members of the caucus. Democratic leaders have tried to cast Trump's foreign ambitions as a distraction from the issues that voters face at home.

"The American people are asking what the hell is going on in Venezuela and why is this president, who campaigned on 'America First,' now spending all his time and energy on escapades overseas?" Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said in a floor speech.

The rarely enforced War Powers Act

Congress was once again left in the dark during the military operation in Venezuela, with Trump later confirming that he talked to oil executives but not leaders on Capitol Hill. That reflects abroader patternin Trump's second term, unfolding under a Republican-controlled Congress that has shown little appetite for reasserting its constitutional authority to declare war.

Under the Constitution, Congress declares war while the president serves as commander in chief. But lawmakers have not formally declared war since World War II, granting presidents broad latitude to act unilaterally.

Congress attempted to rein in that authority after the Vietnam War with theWar Powers Resolution,passed over Republican President Richard Nixon's veto. The law requires presidents to notify Congress within 48 hours of deploying forces and to end military action within 60 to 90 days absent authorization — limits that presidents of both parties have routinely stretched.

Democrats argue those limits are being pushed further than ever. Some Republicans have gone further still, contending congressional approval is unnecessary altogether.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a close Trump ally who traveled with the president aboard Air Force One on Sunday, said he would be comfortable with Trump taking over other countries without congressional approval, including Greenland.

"The commander in chief is the commander in chief. They can use military force," Graham said.

Greenland may further test the limits

Graham's comments come as the administration weighs not only its next steps in Venezuela, but alsoGreenland. The White House has said the "military is always an option" when it comes to a potential American takeover of the world's largest island.

While Republicans have cited Greenland's strategic value, most have balked at the idea of using the military to take the country, instead favoring a potential deal to purchase the country.

Democrats want to get out in front of any military action and are already preparing to respond. Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego said he is working on a resolution "to block Trump from invading Greenland."

"We must stop him before he invades another country on a whim," Gallego wrote on X. "No more forever wars."

Kaine also said Wednesday that a resolution on Greenland would soon be filed, in addition to Cuba, Mexico, Colombia and Nigeria.

Greenland belongs to a NATO ally, Denmark, which has prompted a much different response from Republican senators than the situation in Venezuela. Paul said Republicans discussed Trump's plans for Greenland at their Wednesday luncheon and he heard "zero support" for taking military action to seize it.

Tillis, a co-chair of the Senate NATO Observer Group, used a Senate floor speech to criticize White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller for comments this week that the U.S. should take control of Greenland. Tillis said such remarks were "amateurish" and "absurd."

"This nonsense on what's going on with Greenland is a distraction from the good work he's doing," Tillis said of the president. "And the amateurs who said it was a good idea should lose their jobs."

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

January 08, 2026

Senate considers limiting Trump's war powers after Venezuela raid

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is expected to vote on a resolution Thursday that would limitPresident Donald Trump'sabi...

Read More