Minneapolis was the scene of a sombre vigil and protest on Wednesday, 7 January 2026, as friends, family, and community members gathered to remember Renee Nicole Macklin Good, a 37-year-old woman fatally shot by a federal immigration agent.
A life of creativity and compassion
Renee Macklin Good was described by her mother, Donna Ganger, as one of the kindest and most compassionate people she had ever known. An award-winning poet and creative writing graduate, she identified herself on social media as a "poet and writer and wife and mom". She had moved to Minneapolis from Kansas City, Missouri, just the previous year, eager to experience life in a new city.
Her life was centred around her family. She was a mother to three children: a 15-year-old daughter and a 12-year-old son from her first marriage, and a six-year-old son from her second. Neighbours recalled a "beautiful family" often seen playing outside. In recent years, she had primarily been a stay-at-home mother, having previously worked as a dental assistant and at a credit union.
The fatal encounter and mounting questions
The tragic incident occurred on a snowy Minneapolis street on Wednesday. According to her former husband, who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity, Macklin Good had just dropped her youngest son at school and was driving home with her partner when they encountered a group of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
Macklin Good had no criminal record beyond a traffic violation, and her ex-husband stated she was not an activist and had not participated in any protests. He described her as a devoted Christian who had taken part in youth mission trips to Northern Ireland in her younger years. She was also a talented singer, having studied vocal performance in college and participated in choruses.
A community in mourning and a nation divided
The news of her death prompted an immediate outpouring of grief. Her alma mater, Old Dominion University in Virginia, where she graduated with an English degree in 2020, paid tribute. University President Brian Hemphill called for "compassion, healing, and reflection at a time that is becoming one of the darkest and most uncertain periods in our nation’s history."
The Trump administration's characterisation of Macklin Good as a "domestic terrorist" stands in stark contrast to the portrait painted by those who knew her. This discrepancy has fuelled public outrage and deepened the controversy surrounding the shooting. The incident led Minneapolis public schools to cancel classes in the aftermath.
As the community lit candles in her memory at the Wednesday night vigil, the focus remained on the woman they lost: a loving mother, a gifted poet, and a compassionate soul whose life was cut short in a moment of violent confrontation.
