The ICE shooting death in Minnesota raises questions about the tactics this force uses when arresting people suspected of illegally residing in the US.
Jonathan Ross, an agent of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), on January 7 shot and killed female driver Renee Nicole Good, 37, during an encounter in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The shooting sparked controversy, sparking protests in Minneapolis and many other cities in the US.
Initial information showed that Good’s car blocked the road, then began moving when an ICE agent approached. Ross then stood in front of the SUV and fired at least two shots at Good at close range, killing her.
Federal authorities described Good’s actions as “terrorism” and that Ross fired in self-defense when the ICE agent’s life was threatened. However, many experts say Ross was wrong in this situation, and question how ICE agents are trained in general and the tactics they are using when arresting people.
The scene of a shooting that left a woman dead in Minneapolis, Minnesota on January 7. Image: AFP
Video images from Ross’s phone show the agent approaching Good’s car while the SUV was blocking the road. He went around to the back to turn the license plate and then back to the front of the vehicle. Experts say Ross put himself at unnecessary risk.
“Doing so is not safe. You will lose concentration and only have one hand to defend yourself when needed, because the other hand is holding the phone,” Sean Smoot, a former Illinois state police officer, told Washington Post.
Daniel Oates, former police chief of Miami Beach, Florida, shares the same opinion. He believes that Ross went against industry standards.
“You should not stand in front of the car. In most cases, if the person has actually committed a serious crime, the police can still track them down later,” according to Oates.
When an unidentified ICE agent approached and asked him to get out of the car, Good backed up, hit the accelerator, and steered the wheel, causing Ross to scream loudly and open fire at the female driver. Good was hit in the head, and the SUV continued to drive, crashing into a roadside pillar.
“That action was really unnecessary. If you had time to shoot, you could have moved away. In this case, the ICE agent could clearly have avoided colliding with the car,” said Dennis Kenney, a former Florida state police officer and professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
The encounter led to ICE agents shooting and killing people in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Video: X/AlphaNews
A former federal official added that ICE’s behavior when confronting Good also made the situation more tense. “They should say ‘please get out of the car’. The driver can get agitated and confront or run away, when they see someone approaching with an aggressive attitude,” this person said.
In addition, Ross shooting the driver was also a potentially risky action, because the vehicle could lose control and crash into someone else.
“You don’t know where the car is going to go, it’s basically like an unguided missile,” warned Chuck Wexler, executive director of the nonprofit police research organization PERF, based in Washington, DC.
James F. Pastor, a former Chicago police officer, said deadly force may no longer be necessary if the threat declines, as the car leaves. However, he somewhat sympathized with Ross because in many situations, officers have to make split-second decisions and they are trained to consider cars as deadly weapons.
“When you are the one going through that situation, the perspective is different. Emotions, even the decision-making process, are affected,” Mr. Pastor said.
Ross was dragged while stopping the car of a suspected undocumented immigrant in Minneapolis in June. When this person did not comply, Ross broke the car window, reached inside and got stuck. The driver fled, injuring Ross and requiring 33 stitches.
ICE agents at the scene of an immigrant being shot dead in Minneapolis, Minnesota on January 7. Image: AFP
Ross’s shooting raised concerns about ICE’s operations, in the context that the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the agency that manages the force, recently added more than 12,000 officers in a recruitment drive described as “the fastest in the unit’s history”. Observers believe that DHS is prioritizing the number of troops to achieve President Donald Trump’s goal of deporting one million illegal immigrants each year.
In 2018, basic training for ICE officers lasted about 20 weeks, including Spanish classes. DHS said on January 9 that the training program at the center in Georgia has been shortened to 8 weeks and “streamlined to eliminate duplication and take advantage of technological advances.”
Among the streamlined items is Spanish class. According to DHS, officers are using “powerful interpretation devices” to communicate. The agency also noted that many recruits have prior law enforcement or military experience.
“No important categories have been cut. Candidates still learn all the necessary content and meet the high standards that ICE has required up to now,” said DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin, affirming that ICE agents are trained to use minimal force to resolve dangerous situations, with the top priority being safety for the public and themselves.