Renee Good’s Family Recalls Her Laughter and Says They Refuse to Watch the Shooting Footage
Nearly two months after renee good was killed by a U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis, her parents and brothers spoke publicly about her life and the choices they have made in the wake of her death. The family’s remarks come as legal and federal scrutiny of the Jan. 7 shooting continues and as they pursue independent investigations to establish what happened.
Renee Good Family: Memory, Mourning and a Decision Not to Watch Footage
The Ganger family described their daughter as full of laughter and warmth and said they would have done anything to protect her. "As her dad, my first instinct, I would trade a thousand times stepping in front of her to protect her, " Tim Ganger said in a recent interview, a sentiment his sons Brent and Luke and his wife, Donna, echoed. Brent said, "Yeah, we all would. Everybody would. "
Despite the widespread circulation of videos and intense media attention, the family has intentionally chosen not to view the footage of the shooting. "I can’t bring myself to do that, " Brent said, and Tim added that they have "intentionally just let that go. " That decision has shaped how they are processing the event publicly and privately while they seek independent verification of the facts.
Autopsy Findings and the Federal Inquiry
An autopsy commissioned by the family found that Good was struck by three bullets, including one that entered her left temple; a fourth shot grazed her. Additional wounds included a bullet to the left forearm and one to the right breast that did not penetrate major organs, the family’s lawyers. Lead attorney Antonio M. Romanucci said the family believes the evidence gathered by their investigation will "suffice to prove our case. "
The federal probe has focused in part on whether Good’s partner impeded a federal officer moments before the shooting, a line of inquiry that the family’s legal team has criticized for centering less on the officer who fired the fatal shots. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem publicly characterized the shooting as justified, saying Good had "weaponized" her vehicle and that the officer who fired, Jonathan Ross, acted in self-defense. Those comments came as the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said it was not conducting a use-of-force investigation because it lacked full access to evidence and witnesses; the BCA is assisting the Hennepin County district attorney’s office and providing evidence to the FBI. BCA Superintendent Drew Evans stated the agency remains open to a full investigation if the U. S. Attorney’s Office and FBI reconsider their approach or share all evidence held by federal investigators.
Investigators, Prosecutors and Political Aftershocks
With what they called an urgent need for clarity, the family has hired private investigators to ensure the facts are transparent and taken seriously. Brent said that motivation directly informed the decision to retain outside investigators: they wanted to make sure the truth was available rather than rely solely on the federal process.
At least six prosecutors in the U. S. Attorney’s Office in Minnesota resigned over concerns about the direction of the federal probe, a development that highlights internal dissent within the Justice Department’s local ranks. The Justice Department also opened an inquiry into public comments made by Minnesota politicians critical of ICE tactics, a move officials described as political in nature. The family further said that neither President Donald Trump nor members of his administration have contacted them since the shooting.
What makes this notable is how the combination of autopsy results, divided investigative jurisdiction, and public statements from senior officials has pushed the family toward private fact-finding and amplified calls for a complete and shared evidentiary record. The family says that path aims to produce a clear account of the Jan. 7 events and to ensure accountability beyond the initial federal characterization of the incident.
The Gangers have framed their public comments around remembrance and process: honoring the person they lost while pursuing independent avenues to establish the sequence of events, even as official investigations remain unfinished and disputes over access to evidence continue.
