US Vice President JD Vance has released footage from the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis mother by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent, claiming the officer acted in self-defence.
The video, shared by Vance on the social media platform X, shows the encounter between ICE agent Jonathan Ross and 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good on 7 January. While the administration claims the footage proves Good attempted to ram the agent with her vehicle, many viewers remain unconvinced, arguing that the video shows her attempting to steer away from the officer.
Vance: 'His Life Was Endangered'
Vice President JD Vance took to X to share video evidence of the encounter, which he claims exonerates the officer involved. According to Vance, the recording demonstrates that the vehicle driven by Renee Nicole Good struck the agent before any shots were fired.
'Watch this, as hard as it is. Many of you have been told this law enforcement officer wasn't hit by a car, wasn't being harassed, and murdered an innocent woman,' the VP wrote in the caption. 'The reality is that his life was endangered and he fired in self-defense.'
Watch this, as hard as it is. Many of you have been told this law enforcement officer wasn't hit by a car, wasn't being harassed, and murdered an innocent woman.
— JD Vance (@JDVance) January 9, 2026
The reality is that his life was endangered and he fired in self defense. https://t.co/IfXAAxi9Ql
In the footage, Good can be heard telling the officer who was holding a phone, presumably to record the incident, 'it's fine dude, I'm not mad at you. Show us your face.' Another woman told the officer that they do not 'change their plates every morning' as the man walked around filming their vehicle.
Another officer then told Good to get out of the car. When she manoeuvred the vehicle, the agent who had been filming was in front of her automobile. A thud can be heard before the footage cuts. Earlier videos showed that at about the same time, the officer, later identified as Jonathan Ross, opened fire at Good, killing her.
Public Rejects Self-Defence Narrative
Despite the narrative of self-defence, many observers on social media have voiced their horror at the officer's demeanour during the incident. Critics point to the moment Good calmly tells the officer it was fine and she was not mad at him, only seconds before the situation turned lethal.
Several netizens also argue that the video shows Good steering her wheel away from the agent to avoid contact. They contend Ross moved towards the car rather than maintaining a safe distance.
'Watch both angles together. She's steering away from him. He shoots [her] anyway and then calls her a "f-----g b---h",' one commented.
Another claimed that Good tried to create space, but Ross worked towards the vehicle and put himself in harm's way.
Watch both angles together. She's steering away from him. He shoots he anyway and then calls her a "fucking bitch" pic.twitter.com/DQJwRY4pW4
— Mick West (@MickWest) January 9, 2026
Look closer.
— The Green Dragon Tavern (@greendragonhq) January 9, 2026
She backed up to create space. The officer worked towards the vehicle.
She attempted to not hit him and he put himself in harms way. pic.twitter.com/ItO6CBFYjC
The backlash intensified when audio from the footage revealed the officer calling Good a "f-----g b---h" after discharging his weapon. His aggressive language has led many to question whether the shooting was motivated by anger rather than a genuine fear for his life.
His life was in danger by the woman who said 'I'm not mad at you' and who was clearly steering her vehicle away from him as he recorded her with his smart phone? Are you insane or just a really bad liar?
— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) January 9, 2026
She was literally turning the wheel AWAY from the agent before any shots were fired. The Video proves that she was not trying to hit him. He then fired two more shots at her face after she was past him.
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) January 9, 2026
Yeah watch it from both angles, because JD thinks you’re too stupid to remember everything else you’ve seen.
— Adam Cochran (adamscochran.eth) (@adamscochran) January 9, 2026
Watch it with the sound on so you see her calmly engage, and hear him draw his weapon before the car even moves.
Listen to it with the sound on so you hear there is no… https://t.co/9mBO6Iy7zT
ICE Officer's Troubled Past Revealed
In the aftermath of the shooting, the public demands the identity of the ICE officer. The White House was initially adamant about keeping it private for his safety. 'We are not going to expose the name of this officer. He acted according to his training,' said Tricia McLaughlin, the DHS Assistant Secretary.
However, the shooter was later identified as Jonathan Ross, a member of the Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) special response team, an elite unit within Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). It was also revealed that Ross was involved in another vehicle incident in June 2025.
During an arrest in Bloomington, his arm became trapped in a car window and he was dragged about 100 yards, leaving him with deep lacerations requiring 33 stitches. This traumatic history may have played a role in his reaction during the encounter with Good, prompting some to question why he was still in active service.
