Vice President JD Vance doubled down on his fierce criticism of the press after cellphone footage from the federal agent's perspective of Wednesday's fatal shooting in Minneapolis surfaced.
Alpha News was the first to obtain the video showing a tense exchange between the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent and Renee Nicole Good, 37, who was shot and killed as she was behind the wheel of her car he was standing in front of, as well as her wife, who is seen taunting the agent from outside the vehicle.
"What the press has done in lying about this innocent law enforcement officer is disgusting. You should all be ashamed of yourselves," Vance reacted to the footage on X.
He later told his X followers, "Watch this, as hard as it is. Many of you have been told this law enforcement officer wasn't hit by a car, wasn't being harassed, and murdered an innocent woman. The reality is that his life was endangered and he fired in self defense."
CELLPHONE VIDEO RELEASED IN DEADLY MINNEAPOLIS ICE AGENT SHOOTING
Liberal critics, however, are disputing Vance's comments, many of them insisting the ICE agent was never hit by Good.
"1. He wasn't hit by a car, which we believe because we have eyes," Pod Save America co-host Jon Favreau reacted. "2. I didn't realize "hey dude I'm not mad at you" is harassment that warrants a death sentence 3. He killed an innocent woman 4. Shooting her in the face did nothing to protect him. Stepping out of the way did."
"Sir, I don't think the video shows what you want us to believe it shows. We have eyes," Puck News writer Julia Ioffe said.
"Liar," The Bulwark publisher Sarah Longwell told Vance. "She says, ‘That’s fine dude. I’m not mad at you.’ Then she’s clearly leaving and he shoots her three times in the face and calls her a ‘f------ b----.’ Then all of you immediately lied about it and called her a domestic terrorist, which is obviously a false smear."
"The only real harassment you see in that video is where the officer calls the woman he just murdered a ‘f------ b----,' on his own recording, right after he murdered her," ex-MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan similarly wrote. "And the Trump administration thought this was a clip in their favor?? That the VP should promote? Sheesh."
"That's not the reality you disgusting, soulless liar," ex-CNN correspondent John Harwood scolded the VP.
"When did it become proper weapons handling to have your cell phone in one hand and your gun in the other?" Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., asked. "No law enforcement ever trains to get in front of vehicle and why did he continue to shoot even after she drove away. A US citizen died and the VP is trying to justify it."
In a lengthy post on X, Vance said he agreed with those who say Good's death was a tragedy, but that the "dishonesty" from the media about the ICE agent is an "all-time moment in shameless press propaganda."
"Does this law enforcement officer have a family? Yes. Did he get seriously injured by a vehicle just six months ago? Yes," Vance wrote. "Did he have reason to fear for his life? Yes. Does he have every right to safety while he's doing his job? Yes."
"I want our law enforcement officers to do their jobs and come home safely to their family. If you don't like the immigration policy of the Trump administration, attack me. Leave our law enforcement alone. And it's time for the press to finally tell the truth about this story."
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Supporters of the Trump administration rallied behind Vance's sentiment.
"A fair assessment," Elon Musk reacted to the post.
"This is the rational and appropriate view," Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, similarly concluded.
"This is exhibit 5,675,341 on why you should NOT trust the establishment media period," Breitbart News' Matthew Boyle wrote. "The CNNs and New York Times’s of the world are dishonest brokers. Period."
The shooting has divided the country virtually on partisan lines with the Trump administration accusing Good of attempting to ram her vehicle into the ICE agent while critics say she was trying to turn her vehicle away and that the ICE agent used excessive force.
The newly-released footage shows the ICE agent approaching the vehicle with Good telling him, "That’s fine, dude. I’m not mad."
Her wife, seen approaching the agent, taunted him, "You want to come at us? I say go get yourself some lunch, big boy."
The agent is heard repeatedly telling Good to get out of the car. And as her wife attempts to get into the passenger door, Good is seen backing up her vehicle with her wife telling her, "Drive, baby. Drive."
As the car moves forward, the agent is heard saying "whoa" as his cellphone shakes before shots ring out. He is heard saying "f------ b----" as the car veers away before crashing into a parked vehicle, which is only heard in the footage.
