The ICE agent who killed Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis is set to become a millionaire after controversial fundraisers were set up for him.
Good, a mother-of-three and a US citizen, was shot dead by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent Jonathan ‘Jon’ Ross last week.
Her death, which was captured on video, sparked widespread protests across the US criticising police brutality.
It also flared up tensions between the country’s political factions, with many in Donald Trump’s administration defending the ICE agent.
The issue is dividing Americans and led to hardening rhetoric on both sides, with many defending Good and her wife, who were not the target of the ICE operation, while others have stood behind Ross’s actions.
A GoFundMe set up to support Good’s widow and sons, has raised around $1.5 million.
Meanwhile, an unverified GoFundMe page supporting Ross has amassed over $750,000 (£559,000).
The organiser, Clyde Emmons, described Good as a ‘domestic terrorist,’ adding that he feels the shooting was ‘1000 percent justified’ and that the officer ‘deserves’ a fundraiser.
Critics are calling for GoFundMe to delete the page, saying it violates the site’s terms of service.
The fundraiser’s description was allegedly edited from saying that money would ‘go to help pay for any legal services this officer needs’ to say ‘Funds will go to help him,’ Forbes reports.
A further sum, around $280,000, has been raised through a GiveSendGo page, which described Ross as a ‘patriot.’ The money will go to ‘our ICE hero’s personal costs, family protection, and anything else related to this righteous act of duty,’ the organiser said.
While the FBI has launched an investigation into Good’s death, sources close to the investigation have suggested that the ICE agent is unlikely to face criminal charges.
The Department of Justice, which usually looks into police-linked shootings, has reportedly not opened a probe into the incident, according to an insider speaking to the New York Times.
Good’s family has reportedly hired the same law firm, which represented George Floyd’s family in a civil case after the Minneapolis resident, a Black man, was murdered by police officer Derek Chauvin.
Good’s parents and her siblings issued a tribute to her, saying she was a ‘beautiful light’ who brought ‘joy.’
The family said in a statement: ‘We want to thank everyone who has reached out in support of Renee and our family. The kind of unending care we’ve been given during this time is exactly the kind that she gave to everyone.’
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