A Minneapolis memorial for Renee Good was doused in gasoline and set ablaze in what authorities have deemed a ‘suspicious’ attack.
The fire broke out on Tuesday at the display of flowers and memorial posters for the woman who was killed by an ICE agent last month, according to The Minnesota Star Tribune.
Renee, 37, a mother of three, was shot by agent Johnathan Ross after she ignored demands to get out of her car, before reversing and trying to drive off.
Authorities said someone deliberately drenched a pile of wood with gasoline to start the fire.
‘This is despicable,’ City Council Member Jason Chavez, whose district covers the neighborhood where Good was shot, wrote on social media.
He shared a photo that showed the aftermath: a partially burned fence where colorful posters have stood since January 7, with a large pile of wood stacked against it.
The Minneapolis Police Department has opened an investigation. No suspects had been arrested on Wednesday.
Around 9pm, 43-year-old photojournalist Ryan Vizzions said he smelled gasoline inside his van parked near the site now dedicated to remembering Good, according to the Star Tribune.
‘I looked out my windshield and I see orange,’ he told the outlet. ‘My eyes lit up.’
A Minneapolis memorial for Renee Good, who was killed by an ICE agent, was doused in gasoline and set ablaze Tuesday night
Renee (pictured), 37, was a mother of three who was shot by ICE agent Johnathan Ross after she ignored demands to get out of her car, reversed it and tried to drive off during a protest
Other residents, also alerted by the glow of the flames, raced outside armed with two fire extinguishers to battle the fire.
While several items were damaged in the blaze, police said no one was hurt.
The memorial – thankfully covered with a tarp by community members the night before to protect it from rain – suffered less damage than it might have otherwise.
‘We’ve been hypervigilant in our neighborhood and obviously everyone’s keeping an eye out all of the time,’ neighbor Wren Clinefelter, 23, told the Star Tribune.
‘So it’s definitely very disheartening to hear that someone would try and burn down a memorial for a woman who was killed in our neighborhood,’ she added.
A video shared on Vizzions’ Instagram showed Good’s vigil largely intact, with crime tape cordoning it off as community members and a firetruck stayed on site.
At one point during the clip, an open bottle of Valvoline High Mileage gasoline could be seen lying on the sidewalk.
‘I want to thank the neighbors and observers who helped extinguish the fire,’ Councilman Chavez wrote on Bluesky.
Authorities said someone deliberately drenched a pile of wood with gasoline to start the fire. No arrests have yet been made
Authorities have said there is federal criminal investigation into Good’s killing. Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension was denied access to evidence in the case (pictured: memorial)
Good, 37, a mother of three, was shot by ICE agent Johnathan Ross (pictured) after she ignored commands to exit her car, reversed, and attempted to drive away during a protest
‘I have reached out to the Minneapolis Fire Department and the Office of Community staff to work with the community to rectify any concerns,’ he added. ‘We’re still asking for justice for Renee Good and Alex Pretti.’
Good, 37, a mother of three, was shot by ICE agent Johnathan Ross after she ignored commands to exit her car, reversed, and attempted to drive away during a protest.
First responders reported finding a total of four gunshot wounds: two in her chest, one on her left forearm, and one on the left side of her head.
Her death triggered a wave of protests and national outrage, with Minneapolis at the epicenter.
Authorities have said there is federal criminal investigation into Good’s killing. Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension was denied access to evidence in the case.
Becca Good, Good’s wife, appeared on stage at Powderhorn Park in Minneapolis earlier this month where a large crowd gathered to commemorate her partner, according to The New York Times.
At the event, Becca decided not to speak to the crowd but rather gave a statement to Rabbi Arielle Lekach-Rosenberg to read aloud, according to People.
‘Becca Good, Renee’s wife, has had to grieve alone for weeks,’ Lekach-Rosenberg said. ‘This is a really important moment – Rebecca gets to share words back to you. So, it is my honor to get to offer Becca’s words.’
First responders reported finding a total of four gunshot wounds: two in her chest, one on her left forearm, and one on the left side of her head
Good’s death triggered a wave of protests and national outrage, with Minneapolis at the epicenter
The widow’s statement started by thanking people of her city: ‘Minneapolis has shown me that even in the middle of grief and fear, people still show up for each other.’
‘Thank you to this incredible community for showing up again and again – organizing food and rides, making sure our kids get to school, checking in on neighbors, and standing together in the cold. I am so proud to call Minneapolis my home,’ she said.
‘Renee was not the first person killed, and she was not the last,’ she added.
‘You know my wife’s name, and you know Alex’s name, but there are many others in this city being harmed that you don’t know – their families are hurting just like mine, even if they don’t look like mine.’
