Renee Good's Brothers Mourn Her, Demand Change in DC

Renee Good's brothers went to Washington this week with a blunt message: Their sister's killing by a federal immigration officer hasn't brought the change they initially expected. Luke and Brent Ganger appeared Tuesday at a public forum on Capitol Hill convened by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), part of an inquiry into the use of force by Department of Homeland Security agents, ABC News reports. Other speakers included a woman shot five times by a Border Patrol agent in Chicago, a US citizen whose vehicle was fired on by agents in California, and a Minneapolis woman dragged from her car by ICE agents, Politico and NBC News report.

"The deep distress our family feels because of Renee's loss in such a violent and unnecessary way is complicated by feelings of disbelief, distress, and desperation for change," Luke told lawmakers, adding that the "surreal scenes" on Minneapolis streets involving federal agents are "changing the community and changing many lives, including ours, forever." Good, a 37-year-old Minneapolis mother of three, was shot and killed in January while sitting in the driver's seat of her Honda Pilot on a residential street during an encounter with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. DHS officials have defended the shooting as self-defense, alleging Good attempted to ram agents and calling it an act of "domestic terrorism." Local and state officials have challenged that account, and her death—followed by the fatal federal agent-involved shooting of Alex Pretti—has fueled ongoing protests in Minneapolis.

Reading from his sister's eulogy, Brent described Good as "unapologetically hopeful," devoted to her children, and known for making people feel understood. Luke said their extended family, a mix of faiths and political views, could be a model of respectful and loving disagreement. From the dais, Blumenthal called the hearing "extraordinary and unprecedented," alleging that Good and Pretti were "murdered by their own government" and "killed in cold blood." He urged a sweeping overhaul of DHS policies, including mandatory body cameras for ICE agents, an end to masking that conceals officers' identities, and expanded training and oversight. "These stories are not just about Minneapolis," he said. "The nation is Minneapolis. We are all Minneapolis. These stories are a call to action."