CHASKA, Minn., Jan 11 — Before Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer Jonathan Ross fatally shot Renee Nicole Good on a Minneapolis street on Wednesday, he spent years serving in the US military and working for federal law enforcement.

Ross, who confronted Good as she tried to drive away during a confrontation, has become the centre of a national debate over whether his actions were justified.

Trump administration figures, including former President Donald Trump, have defended Ross and claimed Good attempted to run him over with her SUV.

NBC News reported, however, that witnesses said Ross was not in the direct path of Good’s vehicle when he fired.

Video footage contradicts claims that Good “viciously ran over” Ross, showing her legs were clear of the SUV as he fired.

NBC News reported that Ross served in the Indiana National Guard and was deployed to Iraq from November 2004 to November 2005 as a machine gunner on a combat logistical patrol team.

During his military service, he earned the Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, and Iraq Campaign Medal, according to National Guard records.

According to the report, after returning to the US, Ross joined the US Border Patrol in El Paso, Texas, in 2007 and worked as a field intelligence agent until 2015, focusing on drug cartels and human trafficking.

He joined ICE in 2015 as a deportation officer based in Minnesota.

Ross has also served as a member of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, as a firearms instructor, and as a field intelligence officer, NBC News reported.

Court records viewed by NBC News show that Ross was seriously injured in June while trying to arrest an immigrant who refused to exit a vehicle.

In that incident, Ross broke a car window, was dragged about 50 yards, and required 33 stitches for his injuries.

Ross testified that he feared for his life and repeatedly used his Taser on the driver, Robert Muñoz-Guatemala, who was later convicted of assault on a federal officer.

NBC News reported that neighbours in Ross’ quiet suburban cul-de-sac about 30 miles from the shooting scene described a tense atmosphere.

Some observed people moving boxes from Ross’ home, while others came to observe the area. During the 2020 presidential election, pro-Trump and “Don’t Tread on Me” signs were reportedly displayed outside Ross’ home, though his political affiliation is unknown.

One neighbour told NBC News, “It hurts to think that… because it doesn’t reflect what our community is about, what our state is about.”

So far, Ross has not made any public statements regarding the incident.