By Carol Lucas
Much has been written about the tragic killing of Renee Good, and I have to believe much more will be forthcoming in the weeks ahead. Every person commenting has an opinion, one that is, more often than not, reflective of his or her political ideology.
In what is a very tragic situation, I suggest we sit back, take a deep breath, and look at the facts. While I agree that it is difficult to remove the emotional aspect of this, namely that a 37-year-old mother of three, a college graduate of Old Dominion University, and an award winning poet was shot in the face three times. We must try to make sense of what happened.
In searching through several articles, I found there were common facts that emerged. One is that she was there as a “legal observer” which then went on to define this as a volunteer who monitors police and security forces at protests and operations.
It was Good’s wife who spoke to this, initially saying, “On Wednesday, Jan. 7, we stopped to support our neighbors,” appearing to reference an anti-ICE protest that had been taking place before the shooting.
Now this is where the situation becomes dicey in that “he-said-she-said.” My guess is that you have already formed your own opinion, but I want to provide some perspective, based upon the remarks of those who have dealt with such problems.
I am not going to address at great length any of the details we already know. What I am going to provide are the words of former law enforcement officer, Kramer Hammy, who spoke to the issue of where the authority of ICE begins and ends. I found this to provide much-needed clarification:
“As a former officer, let me make something clear: ICE agents are not police officers, deputy sheriffs, or troopers. They are not local/state law enforcement. They are not federal criminal law enforcement. They have an incredibly limited scope of authority, and that scope of authority exists in detaining and arresting, with probable cause and/or signed warrants, those investigated and suspected of being in the U.S. illegally.
“They cannot just pull anyone over for a traffic violation or because their car is in a place they don’t want it. They have no authority to pull people over for anything other than immigration enforcement — and even then that involves probable cause, such as a known vehicle of someone they have been tracking, or a warrant. On very rare occasions they have the legal authority to pull someone over if they are threatening the lives of others, but that was not happening in this case. They do not have the training nor the authority to pull anyone else over. They cannot arrest legal citizens. They cannot detain legal citizens without probable cause to believe they might not be legal. They have zero authority to be attempting to force entry into a vehicle.”
Perhaps the saddest, certainly the most disgusting part of this was the President and his team immediately rushing to justify what happened, and in doing so, vilifying this young mother. They put forth outright lies which were subsequently disproven by video footage, taken not from just one angle but from many.
What strikes me as most heinous is the footage showing Renee Wood smiling and saying, “I’m not mad at you, dude.” And then that smile is erased by three shots to her head. Not one but three. Not to her tires but into her face!
Some will argue that she was mocking ICE earlier. To those I ask,”Does this justify killing her?” Are you so thin-skinned that words drive you to kill? If so, then you should never be a part of the goon squad that ICE has apparently become.
I suppose it was just a matter of time until something like this happened. Some who are familiar with ICE recruiting say real training is lacking and that their tactics are reckless, that they are being encouraged to believe the rules don’t apply to them.
This travesty is further besmeared by the FBI takeover of the investigation, shutting out local investigation. Minnesota prosecutors, however, have announced they would be conducting their own independent investigation. Unfortunately, they lack critical information possessed solely by the FBI. Knowing this, how can we not believe a cover-up is at hand if they refuse to release this information?
Comments flew thick and fast immediately after the incident, many disproven. Said one, “This woman intentionally blocked ICE and refused their lawful orders. The video clearly shows her wheels spinning as they were pointed directly at the ICE agent.”
I can only respond that you see what you want to see.
The President called her a “professional agitator” who “violently, willfully, and viciously” ran over an ICE officer. I’ll leave it to you, dear reader, to assess the validity of that one.
Many of us have watched the clip that was recorded from across the street, with the footage starting just minutes before the deadly shooting unfolded. Interpretations vary with each observer. Federal agents could be seen approaching Good’s car while passers-by shouted nearby.
Good was seen waving other cars past her during the standoff. Then there is the actual physical encounter as seen on video.
What sticks with me, however, is what the ICE agent said and did after shooting Rene Good. He called her an ‘f-ing bitch’ and upon her running into a car as a result of her wounds, he walked up to her car and then walked away. Furthermore, he entered his own car and drove away. Interesting reaction.
By the way, I must point out that his comment was that of a conservative ICE agent, not a foul-mouthed liberal. But I digress!
Perhaps the words of Old Dominion University President Brian O. Hemphill say it best: “This is yet another clear example that fear and violence have sadly become commonplace in our nation. Indeed, this tragedy reflects the deep strain being felt in countless communities across our nation. As citizens, it is our duty and right to call upon leaders and officials to restore civility in all facets of our lives.”
Carol Lucas is a retired high school teacher and a Lady’s Island resident. She is the author of the recently published “A Breath Away: One Woman’s Journey Through Widowhood.”
