Justice Department declines to investigate ICE agents fatal shooting incident

US Justice Department Declines Investigation into ICE Agent’s Shooting of Renee Good

The US Department of Justice has announced that it will not be conducting an investigation into the shooting death of Renee Nicole Macklin Good, a 37-year-old Minneapolis resident who was killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent Jonathan Ross on January 7. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that the civil rights unit of the Department of Justice would not pursue an investigation in this matter.

Blanche explained that the department does not investigate every instance where an officer is forced to defend themselves against someone. “We investigate when it’s appropriate to investigate,” he said. The footage of Good’s death, which was recorded on phones by witnesses, has been viewed by millions of Americans.

However, there are still questions surrounding the shooting, including why it took over 10 minutes for Good to receive CPR after she was shot. An analysis conducted by Minnesota Public Radio and APM Reports found that ICE agents left Good bleeding and alone in her car for almost three minutes before turning away a man who offered to help.

The administration of President Donald Trump has argued that Ross acted in self-defense, while top Trump officials have claimed that ICE officers have “absolute immunity” for their immigration enforcement actions. The Department of Justice has launched an investigation into Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, alleging that they encouraged protests against ICE agents.

The investigation was confirmed by Blanche, who stated that the department is looking into allegations that Walz and Frey were encouraging lawlessness and impeding federal officers.

Source: Al Jazeera