Minneapolis Pastor Says ICE Agent Aimed Gun at His Face and Mocked Him After Fatal Shooting of Renee Nicole Good

A gay Minneapolis pastor says a masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent pointed a gun at his face, handcuffed him, and detained him in an SUV during protests that erupted after an ICE officer fatally shot Renee Nicole Good in south Minneapolis.

The incident occurred on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, in a neighborhood just blocks from where Good was killed during a federal immigration operation.

Good, 37, was a mother of three and leaves behind a wife, according to reporting by LGBTQ+ outlet The Advocate and local news organizations.

The pastor, the Rev. Kenny Callaghan, is senior pastor at All God’s Children Metropolitan Community Church, an LGBTQ+-affirming congregation located near Portland Avenue and East 31st Street in Minneapolis.

Callaghan told The Advocate, local television stations KARE 11 and FOX 9, and cable outlet MS NOW that he walked toward a commotion outside his church after seeing and hearing federal agents surrounding a woman he perceived to be Hispanic.

He said the woman told the agents she was not afraid, and he responded by stepping forward and telling the officers to “take me” instead of continuing to confront her.

According to Callaghan’s account, one masked agent then raised a firearm directly toward his face and asked, “Are you afraid now? ” before handcuffing him.

Callaghan said he told the agent he was not afraid, after which he was placed in the back of a black SUV with his hands restrained.

He recounted that the same agent repeatedly returned to the vehicle and asked him, “Are you afraid yet? ” while he remained detained.

Callaghan estimates that he was held for roughly 30 to 45 minutes before agents removed his handcuffs and released him without any arrest or criminal charges.

In multiple interviews, the pastor said an agent made a remark about his race upon releasing him, allegedly stating that he was being let go because he was white and that holding him “wouldn’t be any fun anyway. ”

Callaghan, who identifies as gay, framed his decision to intervene as a pastoral response and an act of solidarity with immigrants and communities of color who were present near the scene of the shooting.

He told The Advocate that the crowd around him was nonviolent and that demonstrators were grieving and angry after learning that Good had been shot and killed only a few blocks away.

According to his account, he and others in the street joined in chants of “We are not afraid” as federal agents in masks and lacking visible name badges moved through the neighborhood.

Separate reporting by the National Catholic Reporter described clergy from multiple traditions arriving at the scene following the shooting, with at least two pastors among those shoved, hit with pepper rounds, or exposed to pepper spray as federal agents pushed back protesters.

The shooting of Good has heightened scrutiny of ICE tactics and transparency in Minneapolis, a city already shaped by nationwide protests following the 2020 murder of George Floyd.

Federal officials have said that Good was shot after she allegedly attempted to drive her vehicle toward agents during an enforcement operation, characterizing the use of deadly force as self-defense.

However, videos circulating on social media and obtained by local outlets have raised questions about that narrative, prompting calls from local and state officials for an independent investigation into the shooting.

LGBTQ+ advocates and elected officials have emphasized that Good’s death leaves a wife and children grieving, noting that queer families and partners often face additional barriers when seeking answers and accountability after state violence.

Advocacy groups and local clergy have connected the treatment of Callaghan and other faith leaders to broader concerns about how federal agents respond to peaceful assembly, particularly in communities that include immigrants, Black residents, and LGBTQ+ people.

The Advocate reported that it contacted Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security for comment on Callaghan’s allegations but had not received an immediate response.

As of the latest reports, federal authorities have not publicly addressed the specific claims that an ICE agent pointed a gun at Callaghan’s face, taunted him about fear, or referenced his race while releasing him.

Community members, including LGBTQ+ leaders and clergy, are continuing to call for a transparent inquiry into both Good’s killing and the subsequent treatment of protesters, arguing that accountability is essential for the safety and dignity of all residents, regardless of immigration status, race, or sexual orientation.