Jonathan Ross
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The Department of Justice will not open a civil rights investigation into whether ICE agent Jonathan Ross violated Renee Nicole Good's constitutional rights when he shot the 37-year-old mother three times through her car window in Minneapolis last week.

The decision by Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon marks a sharp departure from standard protocol and has triggered the resignation of four senior prosecutors from the Justice Department's Criminal Section, CBS News reported.

Those who resigned include the chief of the criminal section, the principal deputy chief, deputy chief and acting deputy chief. The division typically leads investigations into federal law enforcement shootings to determine whether deadly force was justified.

'Highly Unusual' Decision Breaks With Precedent

'It is highly unusual for the Civil Rights Division not to be involved from the outset with the FBI and US Attorney's office,' Vanita Gupta, who led the division during the Obama administration, told The Washington Post. 'I cannot think of another high-profile federal agent shooting case like this when the Civil Rights Division was not involved.'

The section specialises in investigating excessive force by law enforcement and holds decades of expertise in examining whether officers acted outside legal bounds. Its involvement in federal agent shootings is considered standard procedure.

Criminal charges against Ross are increasingly unlikely, according to sources familiar with the matter who spoke to The New York Times, though officials caution the investigation remains ongoing.

Video Footage Contradicts Administration Claims

Good was killed on Portland Avenue in south Minneapolis on 7 January after dropping her six-year-old child at school. Ross, a 43-year-old Iraq War veteran, approached her vehicle during an ICE operation and fired through the driver's side window as Good attempted to leave.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claimed Good 'attacked [ICE] and those surrounding them and attempted to run them over', calling her a 'domestic terrorist'. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance echoed these assertions, arguing Ross fired in self-defence.

Multiple videos examined by news organisations tell a different story. The footage shows Good's wheels turned away from Ross when he opened fire.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey watched the videos and responded bluntly: 'Having seen the video myself, I want to tell everybody directly that is bullshit. To ICE, get the fuck out of Minneapolis.'

Frey also questioned how Ross could still be holding his mobile phone if he'd truly been run over. Ross recorded the incident on his device, and the footage was later shared by Vance.

Agent's Prior Incident Raises Questions

Ross has worked for ICE since 2016 and serves on the St. Paul Special Response Team, the agency's tactical unit. He previously worked for the US Border Patrol from 2007 to 2015 and deployed to Iraq as a machine gunner from 2004 to 2005.

Six months before the shooting, Ross was dragged 50 yards by a vehicle during an arrest attempt in Bloomington, Minnesota. He had smashed the suspect's window and reached inside to unlock the door when the driver accelerated, according to court records. The injuries required 33 stitches.

The Star Tribune identified Ross through those same records. Federal authorities had not released his name, but Noem and Vance both referenced the earlier incident in defending his actions, which led journalists to the relevant documents.

Ross also works as a firearms instructor and active shooter instructor for ICE. His training and experience make claims of mistaken judgment harder to sustain, legal experts note.

Experts Question Decision To Fire At Moving Vehicle

Five use-of-force experts who reviewed the footage told the Sahan Journal they questioned Ross's decision to shoot. Some called it a 'bad shooting' outright.

'It was a disproportionate use of force as compared to what the ICE agent was facing with Ms. Good in that vehicle,' said Minneapolis civil rights lawyer Andy Noel. 'It looks like an overreaction.'

University of Minnesota law professor Emmanuel Mauleon described the video as showing 'egregious and reckless conduct'. He noted that another ICE officer at Good's door appeared to jump back and run because Ross was firing so quickly that he nearly shot his colleague.

The Department of Homeland Security's use-of-force policy, updated in 2023, specifically discourages shooting at moving vehicles. The policy requires force to be 'objectively reasonable' and states deadly force should only be used when officers face 'an immediate threat of significant physical harm' after all other alternatives have been exhausted.

Federal Investigators Block State Probe

The FBI has blocked Minnesota authorities from conducting their own investigation. The state, along with Minneapolis and St. Paul, filed a lawsuit seeking access to evidence and the ability to investigate potential state charges.

Minnesota senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith wrote to the Justice Department highlighting the importance of state involvement, particularly given 'the Trump administration's narrative that directly conflicts with what multiple videos show'.

The shooting has sparked nationwide protests. Governor Tim Walz proclaimed 9 January as 'Renee Good Day' and called for ICE to leave Minneapolis. Demonstrations have taken place in New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Detroit, and other major cities.

Rather than focusing on whether Ross violated Good's rights, federal investigators are reportedly examining potential connections between Good and activist groups protesting Trump administration immigration policies.

Ross has not been charged with any crime. Friends and family describe him as a 'hardcore conservative Christian and MAGA supporter', according to The Advocate, a publication that spoke with people close to him.

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