Candlelight vigil held in response to ICE violence

Below is an article in today's edition of the Grand Haven Tribune that references our rector and the ministries of our parish.

Rainstorms did not deter a large crowd from gathering at the steps of Grand Haven City Hall on Thursday night for a candlelight vigil, held in response to the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer earlier this week.

Bundled up in winter coats and huddled under umbrellas, the Tri-Cities community came together to remember 37-year-old Renee Good, who was killed Wednesday in a confrontation with ICE officers. The vigil was organized in partnership with Indivisible Grand Haven/Tri-Cities and Lakeshore Rapid Response to ICE.

Some members of the crowd held LED candles and other light sources, while others attempted to shield their candle flame from the elements. As the rain came down, the crowd stood solemnly listening to speakers and honoring Good, as well as other victims of violence due to the U.S. immigration crackdown under the Trump administration.

“I wanted to come out here because I really think it’s more important for the younger generations to be out here and advocating for what is morally right,” said BrookeLynn Schuler.

Good was shot in her car in a residential neighborhood south of downtown Minneapolis. She died of gunshot wounds to the head.

Videos taken by bystanders circulating on social media show an officer approaching a Honda Pilot, which was stopped in the middle of the road, demanding that the driver open the door. An officer can be seen grabbing the car’s drivers-side door handle before the SUV begins to pull forward. A different ICE officer standing in front of the vehicle then pulls his weapon and fires at least two shots into the vehicle at close range.

Opinions differ as to whether or not the officer was in danger of being rammed by the vehicle, and therefore warranted in the use of deadly force.

“It’s the sort of thing that is so horrible that it’s almost hard to believe that what you’re watching is something that just happened in real life,” said The Rev. Jared Cramer from St. John’s Episcopal Church, one of the event speakers. “It’s the sort of thing you expect to see in a movie or something. The person who shot her was clearly not in danger. You think ‘Well, but maybe I’m seeing it wrong,’ and then you see more videos and it’s ... very clear that this officer was not in danger and yet responded with deadly force.”

Those who attended Thursday’s vigil similarly felt anger, sadness and fear after seeing the videos of Good’s death.

“I wasn’t shocked, but I was devastated,” Schuler said. “It’s just really sad to see what has evolved in America. I was always told to hold my head really high and be proud to be an American, but over what’s been happening, I’m not proud of being American and it’s really sad that that’s happening.”

“I’m angry about what’s going on in the world,” added Joei Moon. “Seeing that video – it’s crazy. I can’t believe that this is what our world has come to right now and so many people are still being silent.”

Moon held a sign that read “Say her name!” in Good’s honor during the vigil, telling the Tribune they felt a mix of “remorse, anger and frustration” after learning about Good’s death.

“This has happened before. This has happened countless times in history,” Moon said. “We need to come together. This is the time. ... I don’t understand why more isn’t happening, and we need to come together and do more.”

Cramer led the crowd in an emotional prayer in honor of Good and her family as well as the 32 other people who died in ICE custody in 2025, whose deaths he hope people will become more attentive of. He also called for people to continue fighting for justice and ensure “every child, man woman, or person” in the U.S. can feel safe in their communities.

Cramer told the Tribune he and his fellow Grand Haven leaders were inspired by a similar vigil organized in Muskegon, saying that those who organized the gathering felt the community “needed an opportunity to come together and stand in opposition” to the recent violence that has made a “visceral” impact on many around the county.

He was encouraged to see so many people brave the weather for this show of solidarity with Minneapolis and other communities impacted by violence in the wake of increased ICE presence in many cities.

“When I started walking over from the church and just saw the crowds of people, I felt so encouraged to know that the grief and anger I feel – which, to me, is greater than the weather – that there are other people who feel that same way and, no matter the weather, want to come and show up,” Cramer said.

Cramer said he hoped the vigil would help open people’s eyes to what is going on around the country and inspire them to continue advocating against the immigration crackdown, such as by attending a Lakeshore Rapid Response to ICE training or writing to their legislators.