The fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis on Jan. 7 sparked nationwide protests, with often violent clashes breaking out between protesters and federal agents. Some of the most intense protests took place in Minneapolis itself, with an agent using a less-lethal launcher in ways that experts told Bellingcat were "punitive" and "questionable at best".

This agent, an elite Border Patrol officer who was masked but identifiable through the uniform number patch EZ-17, was captured on camera firing his B&T GL06 40mm less-lethal launcher at protesters five times in five minutes as he travelled down a street adjacent to where Good was killed.

EZ-17 on the streets of Minneapolis on Jan. 8. Source: Michael Nigro/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect

While "less-lethal" weapons are not designed to kill, they can still result in serious injuries and even death when misused. In California, a protester said he was permanently blinded in one eye after he was shot with a less-lethal weapon at a protest on Jan. 13. Footage shows a DHS officer firing a PepperBall gun at his face at close range, causing him to bleed.

Last year, a judge in Illinois ordered an injunction limiting federal agents' use of force in the state due to what she described as aggressive use of force against peaceful protesters that "shocks the conscience". However, Bellingcat found multiple examples of force and riot control weapons being used during immigration raids and in apparent violation of that order in the weeks immediately after.

Experts told Bellingcat that most of the less-lethal shots fired by EZ-17 after arriving at the site of Good's shooting with Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino on Jan. 7, also appear to breach CBP's use-of-force policy.

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