After looking at videos and reading news reporting, the incident where ICE agent John Ross shot Renee Good will probably be bitterly disputed and never definitively resolved. But that is just a personal assessment of the evidence I looked at. Not surprisingly, the partisan divide is probably what one would think it would be. One polls indicates that a net 80% of Republicans approved what ICE did as justified self-defense against an alleged threat to Ross or agents generally. By contrast, Democrats show a net 85% disapproval, viewing the killing as murder of an innocent civilian.
An analysis of video of the shooting is that Ross fired a first shot from a position in front of the left front of the car. He was aligned close to with the left front headlight. At 7:19 on the timecode as the car driven by Good turns hard right (away from Ross) and accelerates. Shots two (8.08 timecode) and three (8.18 timecode) are fired through the driver side open window, with Ross standing at that point well to the left of the car, not in its path. Before the shooting, Good said to Ross, “That’s fine dude. I’m not mad at you, (unintelligible)” as she turned her vehicle hard right apparently to avoid hitting Ross. Videos show that Ross was not hit by Good’s vehicle. (unintelligible).” With more time and special gear it might be possible to accurately understand the unintelligible parts of what Good said to Ross. (link 1, link 2)
So, what is an evidence-minded person to think of this shooting? The FBI has refused to turn over all the evidence of the shooting to independent assessment by Minnesota state authorities and by Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty. Therefore, an independent assessment is impossible. (link 3, link 4)
Given the deep, moral rot that characterizes Trump, MAGA elites, the now-MAGA-corrupted federal government and their cynical propaganda, it is rational to distrust MAGA assertions that Ross acted in self-defense. MAGA rhetoric itself adds to the evidence for distrust. For example, reliable sources document Trump’s and DHS Secretary Noem’s false claims that Good “ran over” Ross or was a “domestic terrorist” are contradicted by videos showing no contact and Good’s calm, friendly demeanor. That is solid evidence to distrust MAGA self-defense narratives amid withholding of evidence by the MAGA-corrupted FBI. (link 5, link 6)
Speaking personally and for no one else, I firmly believe that Ross committed the murder or manslaughter of Renee Good. That opinion will change only after an unrestricted, detailed independent investigation of all of the evidence reasonably shows that Ross in fact acted in self-defense. It is possible that Ross acted in self-defense, but the available evidence strongly suggests otherwise. However, until the FBI allows an independent analysis, my opinion will stay the same.
Regarding the matter of trust
Obviously opinions about this sad shooting death are deeply divided among apparently most Americans. With the ascension of Trump and MAGA elites to power, one can reasonably ask this question: Why trust anything the federal government now says, including what it says about this shooting incident? For years, elite MAGA and predecessor propaganda have told us hundreds or thousands of times that the government cannot be trusted. The current government has a track record of profound mendacity. Public evidence is solid that Trump leads the way in applying and normalizing lies, deceit, slanders, crackpottery, etc. So why trust anything Trump or allied MAGA elites tell us that we can reasonably and rationally question as just another MAGA lie? (link 7, link 8, link 9, link 10, link 11, link 12)
In my opinion, the burden of proof here is on the federal government to prove that Ross did not murder Good. The burden is not on the public because the public does not have assess to all the evidence, or the responsibility to tell us what we need to know.