DOWNTOWN TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — A deadly confrontation involving ICE agents in Minnesota has sparked protests and vigils across the country, including in Tallahassee.
- Authorities say Renee Good was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis this week.
- The Department of Homeland Security says the agent's actions were justified since Good was trying to hit agents with her vehicle. Witnesses dispute that claim, arguing Good was trying to drive away from the agents.
- Watch the video below to hear why organizers say this confrontation matters for communities closer to home.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT (11 p.m.):
A protest and vigil were held to remember a woman who was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minnesota.
“I was a little devastated to see that there was a loss of life,” said advocate Brandon Beckett.
I’m neighborhood reporter Lentheus Chaney at the state Capitol. Organizers tell me Renee Nicole Good’s death raises concerns about federal authority, immigration enforcement and use of force here at home.
As the sun set over the Capitol complex, more than 100 neighbors held candles and signs and waved to passing cars.
Drivers honked and called out words of support.
The vigil was organized by the Tallahassee Immigrant Rights Alliance following the death of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis earlier this week. Good was shot and killed during an encounter with ICE agents, sparking protests and calls for accountability across multiple states.
Neighbor Barbara Wilson says the vigil was both a moment of remembrance and a way for people of all ages to have a voice in the conversation about federal immigration enforcement and its local impact.
“I hope I truly, truly hope that young people get more involved. I want to see — last time I was out here, it was a couple of months ago, and there were some students from FSU and FAMU, and I just thanked him because young people have to understand that it’s not gonna get fixed if they don’t stand up too,” Wilson said.
Florida has expanded its partnership with federal immigration authorities over the past year, including policies that encourage cooperation between local and federal agencies.
Advocate Brandon Beckett says Good’s death should prompt a broader national conversation at home and abroad about use of force and who is at risk during immigration operations.
“I think the people in Tallahassee need to stand up and push back against the city, the state and the federal government to make sure this doesn’t happen,” Beckett said.
The Department of Homeland Security has said Good, a U.S. citizen and mother, tried to hit ICE agents with her vehicle. Witnesses in Minnesota have disputed that claim, saying she was trying to drive away from the agents.
Organizers say Thursday night’s vigil is just the beginning of a larger conversation they hope continues in Tallahassee and beyond.
In Downtown Tallahassee, I’m Lentheus Chaney, ABC 27.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT (5 p.m.):
In just a couple of hours, Tallahassee neighbors will gather here at the state capitol for a protest and vigil following the death of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis.
I'm Lentheus Chaney live in Downtown Tallahassee.
I spoke with organizers earlier about why they say this moment matters locally.
In the days since Good's death, protests and street blockades have continued in Minneapolis, with community members calling for answers and accountability.
Good is being remembered across multiple states by family, friends, and advocates who describe her as a mother, an artist, and a voice in her community.
Her death has sparked a broader conversation about federal immigration enforcement and use of force.
Here in Tallahassee, the Tallahassee Immigrant Rights Alliance says the vigil and protest at the Capitol is intended to honor Good's life and stand in solidarity with communities affected by immigration enforcement.
“I was immediately jolted into action, thinking, 'What can we do about this? How can we support?' It's horrible, trying to imagine what her family must be going through. It's just made me incredibly angry, incredibly sad that this is this is where we're at,” Joelle Nunez with Tallahassee Immigrant Rights Alliance said.
Joelle Nunez is the organization's president. He says the event will be peaceful and open to the public, with a focus on remembrance, community support, and calls for transparency as the investigation continues.
“After tonight's vigil, what do you want people here in Tallahassee to walk away knowing or feeling?”
“I'd like the people of Tallahassee to take whatever feelings they have about what went on in Minneapolis and carry it forward into how they interact with their own community. Our city commission still has this agreement in place with ICE that allows police officers to act as immigration enforcement. We still have an environment that would make it very possible for something like that to happen in Florida and maybe even in Tallahassee,” Nunez said.
The protest and candlelight vigil is scheduled to start at 7:00 here at the Florida State Capitol.
Live in Downtown Tallahassee, I'm Lentheus Chaney, ABC 27.
Want to see more local news? Visit the WTXL ABC 27 Website.
Stay in touch with us anywhere, anytime.
