Protests continue nationwide in the wake of an ICE agent’s fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman. That includes Phoenix, where a crowd gathered Thursday for the second time in as many nights to denounce the killing of a 37-year-old U.S. citizen and mother of three, who was shot through the window of her SUV.
A large crowd gathered in front of the Immigration and Custom Enforcement field office in midtown Phoenix on Thursday evening.
Renee Good was shot and killed by an ICE agent during an operation in Minneapolis on Wednesday morning.
“We are here today to stand in solidarity with the people of Minneapolis, of New York, Chicago, Phoenix, and so many other cities that have seen their lives turned upside down by ICE,” said Michael Oei. “We are here to stand in support of Renee Good and the life that she lived.”
Oei helped organize the protests in Phoenix both nights.
The deadly incident
According to NPR, court documents identified the agent who fired the shots as Jonathan Ross.
The Department of Homeland Security said the agent acted in self-defense and was justified in his actions. They said Good was a “domestic terrorist” who weaponized her vehicle and attempted to run the agent over.
"Our officer followed his training, did exactly what he's been taught to do in that situation," said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Several notable officials in Minnesota, including Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, said the shooting was not justified and Good posed no threat to the agent.
"They are already trying to spin this as an action of self-defense,” Frey said. “Having seen the video myself, I wanna tell everybody directly, that is bullsh-t."
Day 2 of protests
Protests have erupted across the United States in response to the shooting. In Phoenix, Lexsiri Coronado, who helped organize Thursday’s demonstration, marched down Central Avenue with hundreds of other protesters, blocking northbound traffic.
“We would be down the street, and there were cars beeping in support,” she said. Protesters eventually turned south on Seventh Street, returning to the ICE facility.
The Phoenix Police Department diverted traffic to clear the way for the protesters.
“People would be coming out of their apartment complexes or on their balconies rooting us on, chanting with us,” Coronado said. “Some of them left their homes to come march with us.”
The protest lasted two hours before the crowd dispersed.
Back at the ICE facility, Oei told the crowds that they must continue to stand with their immigrant brothers and sisters against racism, violence and fear.
