Stephen King sparked a fresh wave of backlash on X Friday after questioning whether there is any “visual evidence” that an ICE agent was “run over” during last week’s fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis.
“The visual evidence shows no indication that the agent who fired the shots, Jonathan Ross, had been run over,” King wrote.
Why It Matters
King’s comments come amid dueling narratives about what happened during the January 7 encounter.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has said Ross suffered internal bleeding to his torso during the incident. That claim has fueled online debate—especially among some left-leaning users—about whether the agent’s injuries were as severe as described, since internal bleeding can range from minor bruising to serious blood loss.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has said Ross was struck by Good’s vehicle and fired in self-defense. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and other Minnesota officials have rejected that characterization.
Bystander video does not clearly show Good’s vehicle making direct contact with Ross. After the 37-year-old was shot and her vehicle crashed, Ross and other officers were seen walking away without obvious difficulty.
What to Know
King’s post drew swift criticism from many X users, including some who argued his wording misrepresented what others were saying. Several users claimed no one was insisting the agent was literally “run over,” but that the footage appeared to show contact with the vehicle. Others pointed to DHS’s internal bleeding statement as proof Ross must have been struck.
Make America Great Again (MAGA) influencer Gunther Eagleman wrote Friday that videos show Good “tried to run over and MURDER the ICE agent.” Right-wing influencer Catturd, who has 4 million followers on X, responded with a GIF of former President Joe Biden saying, “What a stupid son of a b****.”
A pro-Trump user with the handle @iAnonPatriot, who has more than 780,000 followers, told King: “You’re Ike 100 years old. Get your eyes checked.” Another pro-Trump account, Sarah Sizzle, with over 150,000 followers, posted a GIF captioned “What an idiot!”
But some users agreed with King, noting that the available videos show Ross walking away from the shooting scene without any visible sign of injury.
King did not post further about the controversy Friday. However, he previously wrote on X last week: “The louder right-wingers talk, the more worried they are. Renee Good has got them screaming.”
Hours after Good was fatally shot, President Donald Trump told reporters with The New York Times that Good “ran [the agent] over.” Administration officials have said Ross acted to avoid being run over, while Minnesota officials have argued the video shows the shooting was not necessary.
Bystander footage shows an officer ordering Good to open her vehicle door and grabbing the handle. As the vehicle begins moving forward, Ross—standing in front—raises his weapon and fires at least three shots at close range, jumping back as the SUV advances and turns.
On Wednesday, DHS told Newsweek that Ross suffered internal bleeding to his torso. Officials did not provide details about the extent of the bleeding or Ross’s current condition. Newsweek contacted DHS for additional comment via email.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump told the Times shortly after the shooting that Good “ran him [the agent] over. She didn’t try to run him over. She ran him over.”
Vice President JD Vance wrote on X Wednesday: “While much of left has lied about this case, it turns out ramming a law enforcement officer with a car causes injuries. Who knew!”
Billionaire Elon Musk wrote on X Wednesday: “She almost killed him.”
Representative Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat, wrote on X in response to a DHS post on January 7: “You’re lying. There was no attempt to run the officer over and no ICE agents appear to be hurt. Get out of our city.”
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said on NBC News’ Meet the Press Sunday: “You don’t need to take my word for it. You don’t need to take their word for it. Watch the video. The ICE agent was not run over, as Trump stated. You had a person that was definitively trying to just get out of there. They were trying to leave the scene; that is not a person that’s trying to run an ICE agent over.”
What Happens Next
The shooting has intensified protests against ICE in Minneapolis.
An FBI investigation into Good’s death is ongoing. Minnesota officials have also raised concerns after federal officials blocked state investigators from accessing evidence and asserted that the state does not have jurisdiction to investigate the killing. The Justice Department said Tuesday it does not believe there is currently a basis to open a criminal civil rights investigation.
Meanwhile, Good’s family has hired the law firm Romanucci & Blandin to conduct an independent investigation.
