Posted in: ABC, CBS, Opinion, TV, TV | Tagged: colbert, kimmel, opinion

Colbert, Kimmel Speak Out on Minneapolis Shooting, Trump/ICE Excuses

Late-night hosts Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel spoke out on the killing of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, the news hit that 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good had been shot and killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent. Though Donald Trump, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, DHS Spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin, and others in Trump's universe have tried defending the killing, claiming the ICE agent acted in self-defense, and attempting to label Good as a "domestic terrorist," a number of videos taken before, during, and after Good's killing seem to contradict those points. In the video, the driver of the vehicle in question is confronted by ICE agents. As the driver pulls away, an agent can be seen approaching from the left to fire into the vehicle. The vehicle would continue moving forward before hitting some parked cars in front of it. It's also important to note that the victim of the shooting was a U.S. citizen and was not initially targeted by ICE agents. On Wednesday night, late-night hosts Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel addressed the killing and the growing tensions in Minneapolis and across the country.

Colbert broke from tradition, beginning his show to both address and condemn the shooting. Referring to Good's killing as "another shocking tragedy," Colbert summarized the arguments that Trump's folks have been making to justify the shooting, before addressing how video from the incident and local officials have contradicted a number of Trump's arguments. "The homeland security secretary claimed [Good] committed an act of domestic terrorism and the agent acted in self-defense. But the mayor watched the tape and said it was bulls**t," Colbert said.

Colbert would then use the remainder of the opening to share some of what Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz had to say. "We love this state. We won't let them tear us apart. We will not turn against each other," Walz shared at one point during the press conference. He would add, "To Americans, I ask you this: please stand with Minneapolis. "From here on out, I have a very simple message. We do not need any further help from the federal government. To Donald Trump and Kristi Noem, you've done enough."

"Now I saw this video, it didn't look like anybody got run over to me," Kimmel shared during the opening to his show on Wednesday night. "It looked to me like a woman got scared, tried to drive away, and they shot her. But that'll be for the court to decide." During a press conference on Wednesday, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said that "they [Trump's folks] are already trying to spin this as an action of self-defense. Having seen the video myself, I want to tell everybody directly, that is bullshit. This was an agent recklessly using power that resulted in somebody dying, getting killed." While an investigation is still ongoing, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara and Mayor Frey called for peace, with Mayor Frey making it clear what ICE could do to make the situation better: "Get the f**k out of Minneapolis." Kimmel made it clear that is a mantra he wants to see repeated across the country. "That is the shirt I want to see," Kimmel said, before being tossed a shirt that read, "GET THE F*** OUT OF MPLS." The late-night host added, "Get the f**k out of all of these cities."

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