Hundreds of people gathered in downtown Louisville Thursday evening for a protest, march and vigil following the fatal shooting of a woman by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis, an incident that has ignited demonstrations nationwide and sharpened debate over federal immigration enforcement.
The shooting death of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good on Wednesday has prompted conflicting responses from federal, state and local officials over whether the officer’s actions were justified. The case is now under investigation by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice.
In Louisville, protesters assembled around 6 p.m. on the steps of Metro Hall, holding signs, chanting and listening to speakers who criticized ICE and broader federal immigration policy.
“I’m here to stand up and be counted for patriotism,” said Lonnie Turner to WDRB, who carried an American flag during the rally. “This is about what kind of country we’re becoming and what we’re willing to accept.”
The crowd marched through downtown streets before stopping outside the city’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement office on Seventh Street for a moment of silence in Good’s honor.
Calls to limit masked law enforcement
Among the speakers was Louisville Metro Council member J.P. Lyninger, a Democrat and member of the Democratic Socialists of America, who has previously pushed legislation aimed at preventing law enforcement officers—including federal agents—from wearing masks that conceal their identities while operating in the city.
Following the Minneapolis shooting, Lyninger said he plans to refile the legislation.
“We don’t have the power to abolish ICE at the Metro Council,” Lyninger said, “but we do have the power to say what our local laws are. I think what happened was preventable.”
In a social media post earlier this week, Lyninger described ICE as operating like a “secret police,” language he repeated during Thursday’s protest.
Differing views from officials
Louisville Metro Police Chief Paul Humphrey also weighed in Thursday, calling the shooting an “absolute tragedy” and suggesting it could have been avoided based on widely accepted law enforcement tactics.
“There’s a reason policies exist about not shooting at people inside vehicles,” Humphrey said. “From a tactical standpoint, it appears this could have been prevented.”
Federal officials have pushed back against that assessment. Speaking at the White House, Vice President JD Vance said the officer acted in self-defense.
“She accelerated in a way where she ran into the officer,” Vance said. “I know that she violated the law, and I know that officer was acting in self-defense.”
According to the Associated Press, most police departments and federal guidance strongly discourage firing at moving vehicles unless the driver poses an imminent threat beyond the vehicle itself. Louisville Metro Police policy mirrors that standard, barring officers from shooting at or from moving vehicles except in limited circumstances, such as active gunfire.
“We need people to understand that this isn’t OK,” one protester said to WDRB. “Everyone has to speak up.”
Several participants said the atmosphere reminded them of protests from decades past.
“I protested in the 1960s,” one woman said to WDRB. “I feel that same fear and tension now — not knowing what comes next.”
This article appears in Jan 1-31, 2026.