Vance Clashes With Press as Federal Authorities Take Over Minneapolis ICE Shooting Investigation

WASHINGTON — Vice President JD Vance sharply rebuked reporters during a tense White House press conference on Thursday, as new questions mounted over the federal government’s handling of a fatal shooting involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Minneapolis — an incident that has ignited protests, intensified scrutiny of immigration enforcement tactics, and deepened concerns about transparency.

The confrontation came hours after the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) disclosed that it had been removed from the investigation into the killing of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen and mother of three who died during an ICE operation in South Minneapolis earlier this week. The BCA said the FBI, acting at the direction of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, had assumed sole control of the case, cutting state investigators off from evidence, witness interviews, and case materials.

That move, rare in cases involving local fatalities and federal agents, has fueled allegations from civil-rights advocates, state officials, and legal experts that the investigation lacks independent oversight.

At the White House briefing, Vance repeatedly defended ICE officers and accused major news organizations of spreading what he called a misleading narrative. He took particular aim at a CNN headline describing the incident as an ICE officer killing a U.S. citizen — a characterization that mirrors how multiple national outlets have reported the death, based on available video and witness accounts.

“That headline leaves out critical context,” Vance said, arguing that Good was part of what he described as a “broader left-wing network” seeking to obstruct federal immigration enforcement. He asserted that an ICE officer fired his weapon in self-defense after Good attempted to strike officers with her vehicle — a claim that has not been substantiated by independent investigators and is disputed by video circulating online.

Conflicting Accounts and Video Evidence

Video footage of the encounter, first shared by journalists and bystanders on social media and later aired by cable news networks, has become central to the public debate. The footage shows ICE officers surrounding Good’s vehicle during an operation, followed by gunfire as the car moves away from the group.

Civil-rights attorneys and former law-enforcement officials reviewing the footage have said the video raises serious questions about whether the officer who fired posed an immediate threat at the moment shots were discharged. Several analysts have noted that the shots appear to come from behind the vehicle as it is moving away — a detail that, if confirmed by forensic evidence, could complicate claims of self-defense.

ICE and the Department of Homeland Security have declined to release additional footage or officer statements, citing the ongoing federal investigation.

“This is exactly why independent investigations matter,” said a former federal prosecutor who has reviewed the publicly available video. “When state authorities are removed and evidence is tightly controlled, public confidence erodes — regardless of what ultimately happened.”

Minnesota Authorities Voice Alarm

In a statement released earlier Thursday, Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said the agency was informed late Tuesday that it would no longer be allowed to participate in the investigation.

“Without full access to the evidence, witnesses, and information collected, the BCA cannot meet the investigative standards that Minnesota law and the public demand,” Evans said.

The statement stopped short of accusing federal officials of misconduct but underscored the unusual nature of the decision. In Minnesota, state authorities typically investigate officer-involved deaths, even when federal agents are involved, to ensure independence.

Governor and state lawmakers from both parties have requested briefings from the Justice Department. As of Thursday evening, the FBI declined to answer questions about why the BCA was excluded.

A Combative Press Conference

As reporters pressed for clarification, Vance’s tone grew increasingly confrontational. When asked to identify evidence supporting his claim that Good was affiliated with a coordinated activist network, he acknowledged that investigators were still determining the facts.

“That’s one of the things we’re going to have to figure out,” he said, before pivoting to broader criticisms of protests against ICE nationwide.

The exchange escalated when a reporter challenged Vance’s description of the shooting.

“She tried to run somebody over with her car, and the guy defended himself,” Vance said. “Next question.”

Several journalists in the room audibly objected, pointing to the video evidence that appears to contradict that account.

Media watchdog groups later criticized the Vice President’s remarks as an attempt to discredit reporting rather than address unresolved facts.

Political and Legal Stakes

The fallout from the Minneapolis shooting has quickly spread beyond immigration policy. Protests erupted across the Twin Cities, with demonstrators demanding federal accountability and the reinstatement of a state-led investigation. Advocacy groups have called for the release of all body-camera footage and for the appointment of a special prosecutor.

The episode also arrives amid a broader national debate over executive power. Later in the same press appearance, Vance dismissed a bipartisan congressional vote invoking the War Powers Resolution — legislation rooted in the Constitution that limits a president’s ability to engage in military action without congressional authorization — calling it “fake and unconstitutional.”

Legal scholars quickly pushed back, noting that while presidents of both parties have challenged the War Powers Resolution, it remains federal law.

“The through-line here is institutional strain,” said a constitutional law professor at Georgetown University. “Whether it’s immigration enforcement, investigations, or war powers, we’re seeing repeated friction between executive authority and oversight mechanisms.”

An Unsettled Case

For now, key questions remain unanswered: Why were state investigators removed? What do full forensic analyses and body-camera recordings show? And how will prosecutors evaluate the officer’s use of deadly force?

The FBI has said its investigation is ongoing and urged the public to withhold judgment. But as video continues to circulate and political rhetoric intensifies, the case has become a flashpoint in the national conversation over policing, immigration, and the balance of power between federal and state authorities.

For the family of Renee Nicole Good, those debates offer little comfort.

“This should not be about politics,” a family representative said in a brief statement. “It should be about the truth.”