5 Things to Know: Charlotteans Respond to ICE Killing of Renee Good

Charlotteans Respond to ICE Killing of Renee Good

Around 300 people gathered at First Ward Park on Thursday evening to protest the murder of wife and mother Renee Good by federal immigration enforcement agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Wednesday. An ICE officer was filmed from multiple angles shooting Good through the windshield and window of her car as she attempted to exit an area where agents were operating.

On Thursday, organizers with the Party for Socialism and Liberation, Carolina Migrant Network, Action NC, the Democratic Socialists of America and other organizations addressed the crowd before and after a march that saw hundreds walking peacefully through the center of Uptown while chanting anti-ICE and pro-immigrant slogans in honor of Renee Good.

Addressing the crowd before the march, Hector Vaca with Action NC pointed out that Customs and Border Patrol agents are expected to return to Charlotte for another incursion similar to their “Charlotte’s Web” operation here in November. He commended CMPD for refusing to collaborate with CBP during that operation but called on the department to take a tougher stance against the federal agency if they return in 2026.

Another speaker said his cousin was one of two men assaulted by ICE officers in Salisbury on Monday. Agents accosted the two stepbrothers, both US citizens, while they tried to retrieve a work trailer that had been left behind when two of their undocumented coworkers were arrested earlier in the day. They filmed and posted their entire interaction with agents on social media.

“I can’t explain the rage and the pain I felt after watching those videos and being able to do absolutely nothing because I wasn’t there,” said the cousin following Thursday’s march. “Just yesterday, a woman [Renee Good] was shot and killed by ICE agents and I have yet to hear of any accountability or any justice. We are watching armed agents swarming people who have done nothing wrong simply because of how they look — because they look like me, or maybe they look like you — and that should concern all of us.”

Organizers have planned another rally at First Ward Park from 2-3:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, partnering with Indivisible Charlotte, which has been holding pop-up protests on bridges and intersections around Charlotte since Renee Good’s killing.

Family Files Wrongful Death Suit in Pineville Police Shooting

The family of Dennis Bodden, the man who was shot and killed by an off-duty Pineville PD sergeant in an apartment complex parking lot in May 2024, filed a civil lawsuit in Mecklenburg County Superior Court against the Town of Pineville, Sgt. Adam Daniel Roberts, and officer Randall Down on Wednesday, claiming wrongful death, excessive force, failure to intervene and constitutional violations.

The complaint claims Bodden, a 46-year-old attorney and mental-health advocate, was himself experiencing a mental-health crisis when Sgt. Roberts confronted him over an alleged $84 shoplifting incident involving groceries and wine. The lawsuit alleges that Roberts, working off duty as a security guard, escalated the encounter despite knowing Bodden was unarmed and in distress.

“Dennis Bodden was a son, a lawyer, and a man who devoted his life to helping people who were struggling — especially those experiencing mental-health crises. On the day he was killed, he needed care, patience, and understanding, not a bullet,” stated Micheal L. Littlejohn Jr., counsel for Bodden’s estate, in a release announcing the lawsuit.

“The pain his family carries is immeasurable, and no legal process can bring Dennis back. This lawsuit is about honoring his humanity, telling the truth about what happened, and making sure no other family has to endure the same preventable loss.”

Queen City Nerve analyzed the body-camera footage of Bodden’s killing when it was released in August 2024. The previous month, Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer Merriweather announced that his office would not file charges against any officers at the scene during or after the shooting, agreeing with the conclusion of a CMPD investigation that found the shooting to be justified.

Gov. Stein Makes Rare NCGA Primary Endorsement

On Monday, the same day that saw NC Rep. Carla Cunningham file a petition to remove Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden from office, Gov. Josh Stein weighed in with a rare endorsement against Cunningham, who’s running for her eighth term in the NC House this year.

Stein is backing Rev. Rodney Sadler, one of multiple Democratic candidates challenging Cunningham in the upcoming primaries for House District 106, which covers parts of northeastern Mecklenburg County from Mineral Springs to Huntersville.

“The people of North Charlotte deserve a representative who will fight for Democratic values, defend our public schools, and keep costs down,” Stein said in a release.

Cunningham has voted with Republicans to overturn Stein’s vetoes on multiple occasions since Republicans lost their supermajority in the 2024 elections, more often than any other Democrat. Her most notable and infamous vote came when she voted to override Stein’s veto of House Bill 318, which requires sheriffs to hold ICE detainees without a warrant for 48 hours.

Cunningham put out her own release on Monday responding to Stein’s endorsement, stating that it threatens the separation of powers.

“Our communities deserve leadership that listens, not intimidation, division, or political pressure,” Cunningham wrote. “Several months ago, I made it clear to the Governor and his staff that our district will no longer accept empty promises. The needs of our families, seniors, and children are real and urgent.”

Sycamore Rebrands, Cancels Cotswold Project

The fallout that has followed the arrest of Sycamore Brewing co-founder Justin Brigham for child rape in December continued this week, with the flailing brewery officially shutting down construction of a new location planned for Cotswold in southeast Charlotte.

It’s unclear when the project was halted, but WCNC reported this week that the property owner confirmed it is not moving forward and the lease has been terminated. The brewery’s massive South End location shut its doors indefinitely on Monday.

Then on Thursday, multiple outlets reported that Sycamore officially filed state documents to change its business name to Club West Brewing, LLC. It’s unclear what plans remaining sole owner Sarah Taylor has for the business under its new name.

Panthers Host First Playoff Game in 10 Years

For the first time in a decade, the Carolina Panthers are NFC South champions. The team lost a crucial game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last Saturday evening that could have sealed its fate but was then saved by the Atlanta Falcons when that team beat the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, sealing the division for the Panthers.

Cam Newton, who was starting quarterback the last time the team hosted a playoff game at Bank of America Stadium, is expected to be on hand for the game this afternoon despite a rocky relationship with the organization since departing. He’ll carry out the traditional pounding of the drum before kickoff.

The Panthers, who won the division with a losing record of 8-9, will face the LA Rams, a team they beat 31-28 at home in Week 13 on Nov. 30. Despite that fact, the Rams are favored to win by more than 10 points at the time of this writing. The game will air on FOX at 4:30 p.m.