In the wake of a tragic incident involving Renee Good, her spouse, Becca Good, has shared a heartfelt statement, released on Friday through Minnesota Public Radio. This comes just two days after Renee was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis.

Becca expressed that Renee held a profound belief in the inherent kindness within the world, emphasizing the importance of seeking it out and fostering it wherever possible. “Renee believed deeply in the presence of kindness in our world and dedicated herself to nurturing it wherever it was found or needed,” Becca conveyed to MPR.

She further described Renee as a devout Christian who embraced the universal teachings of love and compassion found in all religions. “Renee understood that the core message of every faith is to love and protect one another,” Becca shared in her statement.

Renee Good is survived by three children, including her youngest, a six-year-old son. In her statement, Becca reflected on the responsibility she now faces: “Raising our son in the spirit of Renee’s beliefs means teaching him about those working to create a better world.” She added, “We must address the fear and anger that led to this tragedy by demonstrating a more compassionate path.”

The shooting of Renee Good has sparked a swift reaction throughout Minneapolis, reminiscent of the city’s response to the killing of George Floyd in 2020. In light of the incident, hundreds of protesters gathered at the scene, prompting the local school district to cancel classes for the remainder of the week as a safety measure.

The reaction to Renee Good’s shooting was immediate in the city where police killed George Floyd in 2020, with hundreds of protesters converging on the shooting scene and the school district canceling classes for the rest of the week as a precaution.

On Thursday night, hundreds marched in freezing rain down one of Minneapolis’ major thoroughfares, chanting “ICE out now!” and holding signs saying, “Killer ice off our streets.” And on Friday, protesters were out again demonstrating outside of a federal facility that is serving as a hub for the immigration crackdown that began Tuesday in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Authorities erected barricades outside the facility, and a small group of counter-demonstrators also showed up.

City workers, meanwhile, removed makeshift barricades made of old Christmas trees and other debris that had been blocking the streets near the scene of Good’s shooting. Officials said they would leave up a shrine to the 37-year-old mother of three.

Becca Good’s complete statement is below:

“First, I want to extend my gratitude to all the people who have reached out from across the country and around the world to support our family.

This kindness of strangers is the most fitting tribute because if you ever encountered my wife, Renee Nicole Macklin Good, you know that above all else, she was kind. In fact, kindness radiated out of her.

Renee sparkled. She literally sparkled. I mean, she didn’t wear glitter but I swear she had sparkles coming out of her pores. All the time. You might think it was just my love talking but her family said the same thing. Renee was made of sunshine.

Renee lived by an overarching belief: there is kindness in the world and we need to do everything we can to find it where it resides and nurture it where it needs to grow. Renee was a Christian who knew that all religions teach the same essential truth: we are here to love each other, care for each other, and keep each other safe and whole.

Like people have done across place and time, we moved to make a better life for ourselves. We chose Minnesota to make our home. Our whole extended road trip here, we held hands in the car while our son drew all over the windows to pass the time and the miles.

What we found when we got here was a vibrant and welcoming community, we made friends and spread joy. And while any place we were together was home, there was a strong shared sense here in Minneapolis that we were looking out for each other. Here, I had finally found peace and safe harbor. That has been taken from me forever.

We were raising our son to believe that no matter where you come from or what you look like, all of us deserve compassion and kindness. Renee lived this belief every day. She is pure love. She is pure joy. She is pure sunshine.

On Wednesday, January 7th, we stopped to support our neighbors. We had whistles. They had guns.

Renee leaves behind three extraordinary children; the youngest is just six years old and already lost his father. I am now left to raise our son and to continue teaching him, as Renee believed, that there are people building a better world for him. That the people who did this had fear and anger in their hearts, and we need to show them a better way.

We thank you for the privacy you are granting our family as we grieve. We thank you for ensuring that Renee’s legacy is one of kindness and love. We honor her memory by living her values: rejecting hate and choosing compassion, turning away from fear and pursuing peace, refusing division and knowing we must come together to build a world where we all come home safe to the people we love.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.