Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman donated $10,000 to a GoFundMe supporting Jonathan Ross, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent involved in the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis last week.
Ackman confirmed he was the “William Ackman” listed as the fundraiser’s top donor.
Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was unarmed when she was shot and killed on Jan. 7 during an ICE operation in her neighborhood.
Conflicting accounts of what happened
Federal officials have alleged that Good “weaponised” her car and tried to run over officers.
The Department of Homeland Security defended Ross’ actions, saying ICE agents are “trained to use the minimum amount of force necessary to resolve dangerous situations to priorities safety.”
The Trump administration has labeled Good a “domestic terrorist.”
President Donald Trump described her as a “professional agitator,” while Vice President JD Vance said Ross would have “absolute immunity” from charges.
Good’s family and supporters dispute those characterizations, and her death has sparked protests across the United States.
Fundraisers on both sides
The GoFundMe created for Ross has raised more than $346,000 toward a $550,000 goal. Online speculation about the identity behind a $10,000 donation circulated before Ackman publicly acknowledged it.
A separate GoFundMe fundraiser for Good raised around $1.5 million before it was closed to new donations last Friday.
Ackman said he had planned to donate to Good’s family as well, but missed the deadline.
“I am big believer in our legal principal that one is innocent until proven guilty,” Ackman wrote on X. “The whole situation is a tragedy.”
Why Ackman says he donated
In his statement, Ackman framed the episode as “an officer doing his best to do his job, and a protester who likely did not intend to kill the officer but whose actions in a split second led to her death.”
“Our country is stronger if we work together to resolve the complex issues that are tearing us apart,” he added.
The organizer of the Ross fundraiser said efforts are ongoing to make Ross the direct beneficiary of the funds.
