Featured Image Credit: Adam Berry / Contributor / via Getty
Topics: GoFundMe, Money, US News, Donald Trump, Politics
Rhiannon Ingle
Topics: GoFundMe, Money, US News, Donald Trump, Politics
GoFundMe has sparked major backlash online after ignoring its own rules with a fundraiser for the ICE agent who killed Renee Good.
Good, 37, was shot dead by ICE agent Jonathan Ross a week ago today (7 January), after it was claimed she was 'blocking the street' with her car while they carried out an operation in Minnesota.
Good's grieving mother, Donna Ganger, confirmed her daughter’s identity to The Minnesota Star-Tribune, just hours after the shooting unfolded.
She said she was 'probably terrified' and, referring to protesters challenging ICE agents, said she's 'not part of anything like that at all'.
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Ganger said: "Renee was one of the kindest people I’ve ever known. She was extremely compassionate."
Accounts of what actually happened have been conflicting, with Trump administration officials describing the shooting as an act of self-defence, claiming Good had engaged in 'domestic terrorism'.
President Donald Trump has defended ICE, claiming on Truth Social that Good was an 'agitator' and the ICE officer was 'violently' run over by her.
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He wrote: "The woman screaming was, obviously, a professional agitator, and the woman driving the car was very disorderly, obstructing and resisting, who then violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE Officer, who seems to have shot her in self-defence.
"Based on the attached clip, it is hard to believe he is alive, but is now recovering in the hospital."
Video of the shooting shows Good reversing as masked agents approach, with Ross stepping in front of the vehicle and firing.
The ICE agent could also be heard saying 'f*cking b*tch' after shooting Good.
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Clearly, this clashes with official claims describing Good as a 'domestic terrorist' who 'weaponised' her vehicle and Trump’s statement that 'she ran him over'.
Following the backlash against ICE agents and Trump's shocking statement, a GoFundMe was set up in order to financially 'help out' Ross.
The fundraising site is seemingly allowing the fundraiser to stay online, even though its own rules ban campaigns tied to violent crimes and legal defence.
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The page seeks at least $800.000, with its current total being just over $700,000. The biggest donation came from billionaire Bill Ackman, who pledged $10,000 to the GoFundMe.
Ross has not been charged, and the FBI is handling the investigation after federal authorities blocked state involvement. The company says it is reviewing all related fundraisers and that funds are being held during the process.
The campaign initially said 'funds will go to help pay for any legal services this officer needs,' according to Wired, but then subsequently changed the description to read: "Funds will go to help him."
Despite that edit, the page still features slides reading, 'Give to cover Jonathan’s legal defence' and 'Officer Jonathan Ross’s legal defence fund pays attorney fees and court costs'.
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GoFundMe's Terms of Service bans using the platform to raise funds for 'the legal defence of financial and violent crimes, including those related to money laundering, murder, robbery, assault, battery, sex crimes or crimes against minors'.
On Monday (12 January), a GoFundMe spokesperson told Newsweek that the only verified fundraiser in connection with the shooting is the one set up to support Good’s family.
They confirmed that GoFundMe’s Trust and Safety team 'is currently reviewing all fundraisers related to the shooting in Minneapolis to ensure they are compliant with our Terms of Service'.
A spokesperson said the team is 'working to gather additional information from the organiser' of the Ross fundraiser.
In an update posted to the page on Monday, fundraiser creator Clyde Emmons wrote that the organiser of a fundraiser on the GiveSendGo platform had Ross’ contact information and he would be reaching out to the ICE agent.
"I am in contact with him gave him my number and he said he would pass it onto John himself so I can finally add him as the beneficiary so he can get these funds he deserves," Emmons wrote.
The separate fundraiser for Good’s family has raised nearly $1.5 million, and you can donate to it here.
Tyla has reached out to GoFundMe for further comment.