The fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good during an ICE operation in Minneapolis was captured on cellphone video and has prompted an FBI investigation. Federal officials labeled the shooting self-defense, while the mayor called the officer’s actions “reckless.” Most law enforcement agencies and Justice Department guidance restrict shooting at moving vehicles unless there is an imminent, specific threat beyond the vehicle itself, and officers are generally expected to attempt alternatives before using deadly force.
Minneapolis ICE Shooting: What Are the Rules for Officers Firing at Moving Vehicles?
A deployed airbag and blood stains are seen in a crashed vehicle on at the scene of a shooting in Minneapolis on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. (Ellen Schmidt/MinnPost via AP)
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A federal immigration operation in Minneapolis turned deadly this week when a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Good during a confrontation involving her vehicle.
Cellphone video captured the encounter. Federal officials described the shooting as an act of self-defense, while the city’s mayor called the officer’s actions “reckless” and unnecessary. The footage shows an ICE officer approaching Good’s SUV as it is stopped in the roadway and then begins to move. A second ICE officer standing in front of the vehicle draws his weapon and fires at close range as he leaps out of the SUV’s path.
What Governs Shooting at a Moving Vehicle?
There is no single, universal training standard that applies to every law enforcement agency. However, most police departments and federal guidance generally prohibit officers from firing at a moving vehicle unless the driver poses an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm that is not contained to the vehicle itself (for example, if the driver is using the vehicle as a weapon or is armed and presenting an immediate threat to others).
Why Are Such Shootings Restricted?
Experts say firing at or into a moving car is one of the riskiest uses of lethal force. Bullets can miss and strike bystanders, and hitting a driver or the vehicle can cause a loss of control that endangers pedestrians, other motorists, and officers on the scene.
Are Officers Expected To Move Out Of The Way?
Yes. Justice Department policy and many departmental rules emphasize that deadly force is only justified when no reasonable alternative exists. That includes attempting to step out of the vehicle’s path or otherwise avoid the threat rather than shooting.
Can Deadly Force Be Used Solely To Stop Or Arrest Someone?
No. Standard use-of-force policies generally forbid using deadly force solely to effect an arrest or to disable a fleeing vehicle when the person in the vehicle does not present an immediate threat of death or serious bodily harm to others.
Do Federal Immigration Agents Follow Different Rules?
Not in fundamental ways. ICE agents and other federal officers operate under Justice Department guidance that limits gunfire at vehicles. Federal officers also have certain statutory protections when acting within the scope of their duties, but those protections do not broadly authorize shooting at moving vehicles absent an imminent threat.
What Is ICE's Policy?
The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, permits deadly force only when an officer reasonably believes someone poses an imminent threat of death or serious injury. That standard aligns with broader federal guidance on use of force.
Who Investigates These Shootings?
Internal reviews by federal agencies typically follow such incidents, and state or local prosecutors may pursue independent criminal investigations. Federal agents can face prosecution if they exceed their authority. The FBI is leading the investigation into the Minneapolis shooting.
Key Note: Video evidence and the details of the encounter will be central to investigators’ determinations about whether the use of deadly force was legally justified.
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