WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President JD Vance on Thursday blamed a federal immigration officer’s fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman on “a left-wing network,” Democrats, the news media, and the woman who was killed as protests related to her death expanded to cities across the country.
The vice president, making his critiques in a rare appearance at the White House briefing room and on social media, was a prominent example of how the Trump administration quickly assigned culpability for the death of 37-year-old Renee Good while the investigation is still underway. Good was shot and killed by an ICE officer while attempting to flee during an operation related to the administration’s immigration crackdown.
Vance stated in the White House that he wasn’t concerned about prejudging the investigation into Good’s killing, affirming that “What you see is what you get in this case” based on the footage he reviewed.
He asserted that Good accelerated her vehicle towards the officer, although it remains unclear whether the car made contact. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey criticized claims of self-defense as “garbage” based on the available evidence.
Expressing a mix of sadness and condemnation, Vance described Good as “brainwashed” and “a victim of left-wing ideology.” He emphasized support for law enforcement while criticizing how the media portrayed the incident: “The way that the media, by and large, has reported this story has been an absolute disgrace,” Vance declared.
The vice president defended the officer's actions, aligning with statements made by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and President Donald Trump, who similarly asserted the shooting was a justified act of self-defense, despite contradicting evidence from video footage.
Trump administration officials reiterate their commitment to stringent immigration enforcement, rejecting claims that their actions provoked unrest in communities. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described Good’s killing as a byproduct of “a large, sinister left-wing movement.”
Vance concluded that he and Trump aim to safeguard law enforcement as they navigate the political climate surrounding immigration policies. He also announced plans to appoint a new assistant attorney general focused on investigating government assistance fraud, specifically in light of recent critiques regarding childcare programs in Minnesota.
