Comedian John Mulaney has postponed his shows in Minneapolis this weekend as protests continue across the city condemning the fatal shooting of local mother and poet, Renee Nicole Good, by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent.
Mulaney, currently on his Mister Whatever tour, told fans that he doesn’t feel comfortable “asking thousands of people each night to leave their homes, gather at the venue, and then make their way home when the situation is so unsafe.”
“What’s happening in your city is heartbreaking,” he wrote on Instagram. “I hate to postpone shows in a town going through such awful challenges and such grief, because it feels unfair to the audience.”
He continued: “I am sorry to anyone who is disappointed. I know a fun stand-up show could be a nice distraction, but it doesn’t sit right with me to put anyone at risk.” Tickets for the affected shows will be honored for the rescheduled dates of April 10-12, Mulaney said.
A video of the Minneapolis incident shows Good inside a Honda SUV, blocking ICE agents from driving down the street. Several officers then surround the vehicle on foot and tell her to exit. When she starts to drive away, an agent opens fire through the windshield. Moments later, Good’s vehicle crashes into a parked car.
Demonstrators clashed with federal agents in the Minnesota city after Good was fatally shot Wednesday while behind the wheel of her car during an altercation with immigration officers. Protests have erupted in cities including Austin, Boston, Cincinnati, Dallas, and New York, in condemnation of the shooting.
Tensions were heightened Thursday afternoon when Border Patrol agents shot and wounded two people in Portland, Oregon, during a vehicle stop.
Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey urged ICE agents to “get the f*** out” of the city, and refuted claims that the ICE agent had opened fire due to “self-defense.”
Frey said: “Having seen the video myself, I want to tell everybody directly — that is bulls***. This was an agent recklessly using power, resulting in somebody dying.”
Disagreement has also mounted over who will investigate the shooting after Minnesota officials condemned the FBI for blocking them from participating in the shooting investigation. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claimed local authorities have “no jurisdiction” in the matter.
The Minnesota agency that investigates officer-involved shootings said Thursday that it was informed that the FBI and U.S. Justice Department would not work with it.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz declared January 9 a “Day of Unity” to honor the memory of Renee Good, calling on all Minnesotans and citizens nationwide to observe a moment of silence at 10 a.m. CT to remember her.
“Now is a time to mourn together, in peace, unity, and service,” the governor wrote. “People across Minnesota will peacefully stand up for shared American values.”
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