Renee Good, Woman Killed by ICE, Traveled to N.Y.C. to Feed, Photograph Homeless People: ‘She Wanted to Know Their Stories’ 

A professional photographer who once worked alongside Renee Nicole Good is remembering the 37-year-old mother of three for what he calls her rare compassion — the kind that made strangers feel seen.

Charles Willie Winslow II says Good was “an angel” and “a perfect person.” Winslow, 61, is a New York native who frequently travels to New York City with a group of non-professional photographers to document life across the five boroughs. Good joined one of those trips in the winter of 2022, when the group photographed homeless New Yorkers at night.

Winslow says the photos were shared with the American Civil Liberties Union in New York, “but it was mainly to bring awareness to the homelessness in New York, the streets of New York.”

“We would ask them if we could shoot them, and then we would give them money. Anywhere between $5 and $10,” he says. But, he adds, the group’s approach shifted after Good suggested buying hamburgers “in bulk” to distribute alongside the photos.

“She would have this big giant thermos, which was heavier than anyone’s camera, carrying that around,” Winslow recalls. “And we’d have cups and we would give them food and drink while they were sitting there or laying there.”

It was Good’s first visit to New York City, and Winslow says the experience hit her hard.

“It was so emotional for her,” he says. “She started crying. By the time we got to the first or second person that was laying on the street, she had everyone else crying, just because of how emotional she was about it.”

Even though the group was only in the city for 24 hours, Winslow says Good didn’t want to leave.

“She wanted to stay there,” he says. “We were all freezing to death … But she wanted to stay and keep feeding the homeless and she wanted to know their stories.”

Winslow says Good asked questions while they worked, wanting to understand who people were beyond the moment the camera captured.

“It was like she just wanted to naturally interview them there and wanted to know their whole life story,” he says. “I’ve never done that in the years that I’ve been going to New York, taking photographers there. I never asked them their story because then I’ll get emotional. But she wants to know people’s story.”

How Winslow Met Good

Winslow says he first connected with Good in 2021 after she approached him while he was photographing a game at Old Dominion University. Good had graduated from the school in 2020 with a degree in English.

“She asked me if I can help her with her photography and graphic arts,” he says, explaining that Good wanted to be a writer and sought his help creating a book cover after seeing his portfolio. She later photographed sports games at the university with Winslow and other photographers.

“She Didn’t Deserve to Die”

Winslow says learning that Good had been identified as the driver killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on Wednesday, Jan. 7, was devastating.

“It was rough,” he says. “I know that this is not the type of person, this is not the person that someone would kill for any reason. She didn’t deserve to die for nothing.”

He says he watched the video repeatedly, struggling to accept what he was seeing.

“I had to watch the video maybe 10, 15 more times because I couldn’t believe it. I really couldn’t.”

What Authorities and Witnesses Say Happened

Good had been returning from dropping off her 6-year-old son at school and was driving home with her current partner when they came across a group of ICE agents on Wednesday morning, Good’s ex-husband told The Associated Press.

Good’s wife said in a statement that they “stopped to support our neighbors.”

Multiple bystander videos show Good reversing her Honda Pilot as ICE agents tried to open her car door. She then moves the car forward and to the right as an agent — who has since been identified as Jonathan Ross — opens fire through her windshield and then twice through her open car window.

ABC News reported that Good suffered gunshot wounds to the head, citing city officials. She was then transported to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead, according to the outlet.

Conflicting Claims From Federal Officials and Minnesota Leaders

The Trump administration has claimed that Ross was acting in self defense. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claimed Good had been “stalking and impeding” ICE agents, and accused her of “domestic terrorism,” while DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin alleged that Good “weaponized her vehicle, attempting to run over our law enforcement officers in an attempt to kill them.”

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, however, said that the White House’s version of events is “bulls—,” and warned ICE to “get the f— out” of Minneapolis. Meanwhile, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz reposted a DHS statement and wrote, “I’ve seen the video. Don’t believe this propaganda machine.”