Former Minnesota sheriff reacts to ICE shooting
Former Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek recently appeared on ‘America Reports’ to discuss the tragic shooting of a woman during an anti-ICE demonstration. This event has sparked significant controversy, particularly after Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey made comments critical of ICE in response.
On Thursday, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) announced its “reluctant withdrawal” from the probe into the fatal shooting by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer. The BCA expressed its disappointment, citing a lack of necessary access to critical materials for conducting an “in-depth and independent” investigation.
According to Drew Evans, Superintendent of the Minnesota BCA, the decision followed discussions with the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the FBI. Initially, it was agreed that the BCA Force Investigations Unit would work jointly with the FBI to investigate the circumstances surrounding Renee Nicole Good’s death during an ICE operation in south Minneapolis.
However, Evans explained that later that day, the FBI informed the BCA that the U.S. Attorney’s Office had changed its stance; the investigation would now be managed exclusively by the FBI. Consequently, the BCA was denied access to vital materials, including evidence from the scene and interviews, that are essential for a comprehensive and independent inquiry.
Law enforcement officers were observed at the scene after the suspected shooting by an ICE agent during federal operations on January 7, 2026, in Minneapolis. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Members of law enforcement work the scene following a suspected shooting by an ICE agent during federal operations on Jan. 7, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minn. (Stephen Maturen/Getty)
“Without complete access to the evidence, witnesses and information collected, we cannot meet the investigative standards that Minnesota law and the public demands,” he added. “As a result, the BCA has reluctantly withdrawn from the investigation. The BCA Force Investigations Unit was designed to ensure consistency, accountability and public confidence, none of which can be achieved without full cooperation and jurisdictional clarity.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the FBI for comment.
When asked about the matter on Thursday, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem told reporters in New York City, “I’d like to know where they’ve been and why they’re not out on the streets investigating all of these people that are harassing and inciting violence on law enforcement officers right now.”
“They’re allowing the situation to be volatile,” Noem also said. “They’re not doing their work. They haven’t for years. And maybe they should get to work a little bit on the unprecedented fraud that we’ve seen in Minnesota and in Minneapolis by people that stole from American citizens and diverted funds away from vulnerable people and programs and services that they needed and put it into their own pockets. Minnesota is a train wreck.”
Renee Nicole Good is pictured in a family photo. (Donna Ganger/Facebook)
Evans also said Thursday, “We expect the FBI to conduct a thorough and complete investigation and that the full investigative file will be shared with the appropriate prosecutorial authorities at both the state and federal levels.”
“The BCA remains fully committed to our partnerships to build public trust in use of deadly force investigations. If the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI were to reconsider this approach and express a willingness to resume a joint investigation, the BCA is prepared to reengage in support of our shared goal of public safety in Minnesota,” he added.
The fatal shooting occurred during an ICE enforcement operation in south Minneapolis, according to DHS, which said agents were attempting to make arrests when Good tried to use her vehicle as a weapon against officers, prompting a federal agent to fire in self-defense.
A memorial in Minneapolis is seen on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, on the block where Renee Nicole Good was fatally shot by an ICE agent. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
Good was pronounced dead after being struck by gunfire. The agent involved has not been publicly identified, and the incident remains under investigation.
