THE HILL: Craig responds after Renee Good memorial damaged in fire: ‘This is unacceptable’
Minnesota Rep. Angie Craig (D) spoke out after a memorial dedicated to Renee Good was set ablaze Tuesday evening.
“Renee’s family and the Minneapolis community deserve the chance to mourn her,” Craig wrote on the social platform X on Wednesday. “This is unacceptable and we must hold anyone involved in this hateful incident accountable.”
Minneapolis police and firefighters responded to a reported fire at the scene Tuesday, according to a statement from the city on X. By the time the officers arrived, the fire had already been extinguished.
No injuries resulted from the fire, but some parts of the memorial were affected, according to the city’s statement.
“We will always prioritize giving our community space to grieve and heal,” said the city’s statement, which was reposted by Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D).
“Everyone should respect the space around the memorial,” the statement continued. “We are working on next steps, including engaging the community to preserve the memorials at the Renee Good and Alex Pretti sites.”
Federal agents shot and killed Good and Pretti in separate incidents in Minneapolis during the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in the state last month. Trump border czar Tom Homan announced last week that the operation is coming to a close, following intense criticism from Minnesota residents and elected officials.
Good, a 37-year-old mother, was shot by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer Jonathan Ross on Jan. 7. Her killing, along with Pretti’s at the end of January, elicited urgent calls from Democrats in Congress for significant reforms at the Department of Homeland Security.
Additionally, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has continued to push for impartial investigations into each of the killings after state investigators said they were blocked from accessing materials related to each case.
Minneapolis City Council member Jason Chavez posted a picture of a burned fence from the site of Good’s memorial on Bluesky on Wednesday.
Chavez, who represents the district where Good was killed, called the incident “despicable.”
“I want to thank the neighbors and observers who helped extinguish the fire,” Chavez wrote. “I have reached out to the Minneapolis Fire Department and the Office of Community staff to work with the community to rectify any concerns.”
“We’re still asking for justice for Renee Good and Alex Pretti,” Chavez continued.