A former Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent, identified as Jonathan Ross by multiple news outlets, claimed he was a "team leader" who oversees two FBI agents and an IRS or ATF agent during typical operations. However, his involvement in the shooting death of 37-year-old Renee Good, a mother who was killed during an immigration enforcement action in Minneapolis, has raised concerns about his professional background.
According to Ross' testimony obtained by WIRED, he joined ICE in 2015 and worked in the Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) division. He claimed that he was tasked with targeting "higher-value targets" as a deportation officer in the Twin Cities area. Additionally, Ross testified that he is an active shooter instructor and has made hundreds of vehicle stops in his career.
Ross also described people who attempt to flee during traffic stops, saying they "do erratic behaviors" and take great risks by not being aware of other drivers on the road. However, his testimony has been met with skepticism from some lawyers and experts, including those representing Roberto Carlos Muñoz-Guatemala, who was convicted of assaulting an ICE officer.
In court, Eric Newmark, who represented Muñoz-Guatemala, questioned Ross' assertion that Muñoz-Guatemala had asked for his attorney after he was stopped. Newmark claimed that this claim was made up by Ross and did not reflect what the defendant had previously stated.
Ross also testified that some people may "say to stall" when they are contacted by law enforcement, implying that they know he is a federal agent even if they appear confused or unsure. However, it remains unclear how accurate his account of Muñoz-Guatemala's behavior and the events surrounding the shooting death are.
As an active shooter instructor and member of the St. Paul Special Response Team, Ross had training in firearms and tactics. His experience as a machine gunner on a patrol truck during his deployment to Iraq from 2004 to 2005 has also been highlighted.
The investigation into Renee Good's killing is ongoing, with the FBI looking into her death. In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said that Ross acted according to his training and that federal immigration agents are under constant threat from violent agitators. However, critics have questioned the agency's handling of the incident and raised concerns about the potential for excessive use of force by law enforcement officers.
The case has sparked renewed debate about the tactics used by immigration authorities and the risks faced by law enforcement officers. As more information becomes available, it remains to be seen how Ross' testimony will impact the investigation into Renee Good's killing.
According to Ross' testimony obtained by WIRED, he joined ICE in 2015 and worked in the Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) division. He claimed that he was tasked with targeting "higher-value targets" as a deportation officer in the Twin Cities area. Additionally, Ross testified that he is an active shooter instructor and has made hundreds of vehicle stops in his career.
Ross also described people who attempt to flee during traffic stops, saying they "do erratic behaviors" and take great risks by not being aware of other drivers on the road. However, his testimony has been met with skepticism from some lawyers and experts, including those representing Roberto Carlos Muñoz-Guatemala, who was convicted of assaulting an ICE officer.
In court, Eric Newmark, who represented Muñoz-Guatemala, questioned Ross' assertion that Muñoz-Guatemala had asked for his attorney after he was stopped. Newmark claimed that this claim was made up by Ross and did not reflect what the defendant had previously stated.
Ross also testified that some people may "say to stall" when they are contacted by law enforcement, implying that they know he is a federal agent even if they appear confused or unsure. However, it remains unclear how accurate his account of Muñoz-Guatemala's behavior and the events surrounding the shooting death are.
As an active shooter instructor and member of the St. Paul Special Response Team, Ross had training in firearms and tactics. His experience as a machine gunner on a patrol truck during his deployment to Iraq from 2004 to 2005 has also been highlighted.
The investigation into Renee Good's killing is ongoing, with the FBI looking into her death. In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said that Ross acted according to his training and that federal immigration agents are under constant threat from violent agitators. However, critics have questioned the agency's handling of the incident and raised concerns about the potential for excessive use of force by law enforcement officers.
The case has sparked renewed debate about the tactics used by immigration authorities and the risks faced by law enforcement officers. As more information becomes available, it remains to be seen how Ross' testimony will impact the investigation into Renee Good's killing.
! He's supposed to be training people on how to handle emergency situations but he's involved in a shooting death?! That's just crazy 
. And the fact that he was targeting "higher-value targets" as a deportation officer makes me think there might be some serious issues with his judgment and training 
.
? 37 years old, just trying to live her life and then... bang! 
. And the fact that some people are questioning Ross' account of events is totally understandable 
.
. I mean, who trains people to shoot first and ask questions later?! 
This whole thing just feels so wrong 
.
that sounds super suspicious to me... I mean, what would make someone think they need a special training just for immigration enforcement? 
and then he claims Renee Good was trying to stall him by saying she didn't know who he was? 
come on man, that's some shady stuff right there... and the fact that his testimony is being questioned by experts? 
yeah, this whole thing feels off.
The fact that this guy was able to become an active shooter instructor and a team leader overseeing multiple agents is just mind-blowing. I mean, think about it - someone who was involved in the training of other law enforcement officers on how to handle high-pressure situations like shootings, is also leading operations with actual live ammo? It's crazy. And on top of that, he's claiming that these people trying to flee from traffic stops are just "taking risks" and not aware of their surroundings... that doesn't sit right with me at all. I think it's a huge red flag about his judgment and training as an officer.
ICE agents are already under a lot of scrutiny for their tactics, and now we're hearing about this one agent who's basically claiming he's some kind of superhero. 
Newsflash: being an active shooter instructor doesn't make you invincible or above the law.
The fact that his agency is downplaying the incident and trying to spin it as the victim's fault is just infuriating. 
We need better training for our law enforcement officers, and we need them to be held to a higher standard when it comes to using force.
but his past kinda sketchy 
... training in firearms and tactics, machine gunner in Iraq 
what's the real story? 
some people think he made it all up 
or was he really just trying to protect himself? 
and now we're left wondering if her death was even necessary 
... some experts say that ICE has been using excessive force in the past 
but at what cost? 
is it worth risking innocent lives like Renee Good's? 
. I mean, we're talking about a guy who claims he was just doing his job, but really, that's not good enough. It's like when you're trying to do the right thing and something goes wrong, but it's because of the system or your own biases. We have to hold people accountable for their actions, even if they say they were following orders.