Minnesota officials say they have been blocked by the FBI from the investigation into 37-year-old Renee Good, who was shot and killed by a US immigration agent on Wednesday
In response, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says local authorities have “no jurisdiction” in the investigation
Federal and local authorities give differing accounts of the shooting, with Noem saying Good tried to “weaponise her vehicle”, while Mayor of Minneapolis Jacob Frey says the agent was “recklessly using power that resulted in somebody dying”
Meanwhile, protests against ICE are taking place in Minneapolis
Hundreds of ICE agents have been deployed to Minneapolis, in the state of Minnesota, as part of the White House’s crackdown on illegal immigration
Eyewitness describes seeing shooting from inside home. 00:00:55, play video
Eyewitness describes seeing shooting from inside home
‘I’m angry’, says Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz over shooting.
‘I’m angry’, says Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz over shooting
Man in glasses and a blue quarter-zip sweater leans on podium as he speaks into a microphone with a flag behind him.
Minneapolis mayor to ICE: ‘Get out of our city’
Man wearing a blue suit and red dotted tie looks off camera with a black background behind.
Protestors march, throw snowballs at police in Minneapolis. 00:00:26, play video
Protestors march, throw snowballs at police in Minneapolis
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Why it matters if Minnesota’s officials aren’t involved in investigation
Minnesota officials say the Federal Bureau of Investigation has cut them out of the investigation into Good’s shooting.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has disputed that – saying instead that Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension doesn’t have any jurisdiction over the case.
Regardless of the technicalities, it means Minnesota’s state investigative apparatus is being cut out by the federal government’s.
This will matter in the event that Minnesota officials decide to bring a lawsuit against the Trump administration over Good’s shooting or ICE’s deployment. It could also impede local officials if they attempt to press charges.
It’s too early to tell what legal route Minnesota officials will take, since we are so recently removed from the shooting and are still gathering facts.
“It would be extremely difficult, if not impossible [to investigate] without cooperation from the federal government,” one official said at today’s press conference.
“We believe the federal government needs to stay out of this,” Walz has added.
City of Minneapolis says ‘deeply disappointing’ BCA blocked from investigation
Minneapolis authorities are calling for a “transparent” investigation into the shooting of Renee Good after local agents were blocked from looking into the case.
In a post on X, the City if Minneapolis official page says: “The decision to remove the BCA from the ICE fatal shooting investigation is deeply disappointing.
“We are concerned that the investigation is proceeding without state partners, and we are calling for a clear and transparent process that includes state investigating agencies.”
He says: “This tragedy will be magnified 100-fold if it moves into the hallways of our public schools amongst our youth.”
Walz asks that professionals be allowed to handle the investigation on “Minnesota soil”, adding “above all else, stay out of our schools”.
“I’d like to ask you to care, but that might be a step too far for some people,” he says.
Minneapolis schools closed for the week following yesterday’s shooting of Renee Good.
‘Difficult to get a fair outcome’ with Minnesota not involved in investigation
Walz claims that Minnesota must be part of the investigation into the shooting.
“It feels now that Minnesota has been taken out of the investigation,” he says. “It feels very, very difficult that we will get a fair outcome.”
He says that this is because “people in positions of power” – naming Trump, Vance and Noem – have “already passed judgement”.
Walz says they’ve shared information that he says is “verifiably false” and “inaccurate” and made assumptions about Renee Good’s character and actions ahead of the shooting.
Minnesota ‘must be part’ of investigation into ICE shooting – Walz
We have been hearing from Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. He has addressed reports that the FBI has blocked Minnesota’s BCA from participating in the investigation,
“No function of government operates with impunity”, Walz says, highlighting the importance of checks and balances.
He says that the BCA were “attempting to get that accountability. We have learned that the Trump administration has now denied the state that ability to participate in the investigation.”
He adds: “Minnesota must be a part of this investigation.”
Minnesota’s governor speaking to reporters
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is speaking to the press.
We’re keeping an eye on his remarks and will bring you any updates we receive here.
What we heard from Kristi Noem
Kristi Noem has spoken to reporters in New York City, where she addressed questions about yesterday’s fatal shooting in Minneapolis.
Asked how to avoid a similar incident in the future, she says it’s important to talk about “partnership” and encourage local and state officials to work with ICE to “bring criminals to justice”
She did not answer a question about whether the officer in question has been suspended or will still be working in the field, and tells reporters he was taken to hospital but has since been released
She said that Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has not been cut out of the investigation and that it doesn’t have any jurisdiction – earlier on we reported that the BCA’s superintendent said that the FBI would not share case materials with the team
Noem characterised the incident as “domestic terrorism” and alleged that Renee Good, among others, had “harassed” officers all day prior to the shooting – that version of events has been widely disputed by local officials
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speking during a press conference in New York
Image source,Reuters
Noem says ICE agent was responding to ‘domestic terrorism’ incident
A journalist asks Noem about the administration’s definition of the incident as “domestic terrorism”. She says it is, alleging that Renee Good had “harassed” officers and impeded law enforcement throughout the day. As a reminder, this characterisation of events has been widely disputed by local law makers.
She says the vehicle involved was used as a weapon to hit the ICE officer, and “perpetuate a violent act”, and says “this was an act of domestic terrorism”.
“When you take an action and use a weapon to harm someone and to incite violence against them, and try to cause them injury or death, then it needs to be labelled exactly what it was,” the Homeland Security secretary adds.
Noem says Minnesota’s BCA has ‘no jurisdiction’ over investigation
Kristi Noem is asked why Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has been cut out of the FBI’s investigation into the shooting. Earlier, we reported that the BCA’s superintendent said that the FBI would not share case materials with the team.
Noem says that the BCA has not been cut out says that it doesn’t have any jurisdiction in this investigation.
Noem adds that she’d like to know why Minnesota officials are “not out on the streets investigating all of these people that are harassing and inciting violence on law enforcement officers right now.”
The Homeland secretary’s remarks have concluded, but we’re still bringing you some key lines from her news conference – stay with us.
Officer ‘acted in line with training’, says Noem
Noem describes the officer as “an experienced officer that has served a number of years” and says he “acted according to his training”.
She says that they expect reviews will show “he acted appropriately” to protect himself, other law enforcement officers, and others in the area.
Noem won’t say if ICE officer is suspended from role
Kristi Noem (C) answering questions from behind a podium. She’s in a blue blazer and dark top, police officers in the background
Image source,AFP via Getty Images
Noem does not answer a question about whether he has been suspended or will still be working in the field.
She says the ICE officer involved in yesterday’s shooting was “hit by the vehicle, went to the hospital, and received treatment”. She adds he has since been released and is “spending time with his family”.
Noem repeats defence of Minneapolis ICE agent who shot Renee Good
Asked a question about yesterday’s shooting in Minneapolis, Noem repeats her previous descriptions of the incident. She sats protestors had been following and harassing ICE officers all day – and that Renee Good was asked to get out of her car multiple times before the shooting.
She again defends the ICE agent who fired the shots.
“This is an experienced officer who followed his training,” she says.
Local and state authorities in Minnesota, as well as Democrats nationwide, have contested this version of events.
Noem says ‘partnership’ with ICE would prevent future incidents
Kristi Noem speaking in blue blazer, dark two, a bald man in a suit, white shirt and striped tie standing to her right
Image source,AFP via Getty Images
At the news conference in New York City, Noem is asked how to avoid another incident like yesterday’s shooting.
She says it’s important to talk about “partnership” and encourage local and state officials to work with ICE to “bring criminals to justice”.
“Many times [the] policies and the rhetoric coming out of elected officials has divided people and pitted them against each other,” she says, adding her job is to protect “every single American, no matter where they lived in this country.”
Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has withdrawn its participation in an investigation into the fatal ICE shooting of Renee Good, following a decision by the FBI to prevent the team from accessing case materials, the BCA’s superintendent Drew Evans says in a statement.
The FBI has decided that the BCA will no longer have access to the “case materials, scene evidence or investigative interviews necessary to complete a thorough and independent investigation,” Evans says. Without the ability to access all the necessary case materials and evidence, the BCA has “reluctantly withdrawn” from the investigation, Evans says.
Previously, BCA’s Force Investigations Unit was expected to conduct a joint investigation with the FBI into the incident, but the FBI has “reversed course”, Evans says.
Evans says the BCA expects the FBI to conduct a “thorough and complete” investigation, and adds that the team is ready to resume a joint investigation if the FBI decides to “reconsider its approach.”
The special unit of the BCA was created in 2020 as an independent group that investigates use of force incidents involving law enforcement.
We’ve reached out to the FBI for comment and will bring you any updates we receive here.
