Tracee Mergen, an FBI supervisory agent in Minneapolis, resigned after reports that FBI headquarters ordered her to halt an inquiry into ICE officer Jonathan Ross, who shot Renee Nicole Good on Jan. 7. The Justice Department has said there is "no basis" for a criminal civil-rights probe, while local tensions have escalated after the separate killing of Alex Pretti. The BCA withdrew from the investigation and six federal prosecutors resigned amid mounting controversy. Mergen had also testified in the 2022 Tom Barrack trial; Barrack was later acquitted.
FBI Supervisor Resigns After HQ Blocks Probe Into ICE Agent In Renee Good Shooting
A person carries a sign referencing the killing of Renee Good during an anti-ICE protest in New York City on 23 January.Photograph: Olga Fedorova/EPA(Photograph: Olga Fedorova/EPA)
A supervisory agent in the FBI’s Minneapolis field office has resigned after reportedly being ordered to stop an inquiry into an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer involved in the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good on Jan. 7, multiple media outlets report.
Resignation and Context
Tracee Mergen's resignation was reported shortly before federal agents fatally shot Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday. Both Pretti and Good were 37-year-old U.S. citizens. According to reporting by The New York Times and NBC News, Mergen stepped down after pressure from FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C., to discontinue an inquiry into ICE officer Jonathan Ross, who shot Good. Video shared publicly appears to show Good attempting to drive away from a confrontation when she was struck.
Federal Response and Local Fallout
The FBI declined to comment on the resignation, saying it does not discuss personnel matters. The Justice Department under the Trump administration has said it sees no basis to open a civil-rights criminal investigation into Good’s death. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Jan. 13:
"There is currently no basis for a criminal civil rights investigation."
The administration has described Ross's actions as self-defence, saying Good's vehicle obstructed federal law enforcement operations and endangered the agent. Federal authorities have largely refused to cooperate with local investigators, a stance that Democratic officials and community leaders have criticized as a possible cover-up.
Investigations, Resignations and Wider Tensions
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) said it had "reluctantly withdrawn" from the probe. Separately, six federal prosecutors reportedly resigned after being asked to investigate Good’s widow, who was present during the encounter.
The developments have intensified protests in Minneapolis and created a multi-sided clash involving demonstrators demanding federal accountability, state and local law enforcement, and the federal administration.
Related Note About Mergen
Reports also noted that Mergen testified in a 2022 trial against Tom Barrack, a close friend and fundraiser for former President Donald Trump. Barrack was charged in 2021 in a seven-count indictment alleging he acted as an agent of the United Arab Emirates and made false statements; he was later acquitted on all counts at trial.
The situation remains fluid as community leaders, local agencies and federal authorities continue to spar over jurisdiction, transparency and accountability in both the Good and Pretti cases.
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