Sports commentator Stephen A. Smith is responding to mounting backlash over comments he made about the fatal ICE shooting of Renee Nicole Good, insisting that his words have been misrepresented as outrage continues to grow nationwide.
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Smith, speaking on his self-titled show, said criticism intensified after a New York Post headline framed his remarks as unconditional support for the shooting. According to Smith, the headline failed to capture the full context of what he said, prompting what he described as an intentional mischaracterization of his views.
“The headline was misleading, because even though I said what was said on the headline, that wasn’t all of what I said,” Smith said, according to Complex.
Smith Says His Comments Were About Legality, Not Morality
According to Complex, Smith stressed that when he described the shooting as “completely justified,” he was speaking strictly from a legal standpoint, not from a moral or ethical one. Smith said attempts to frame his comments otherwise were inaccurate and politically motivated.
“I’m talking about legality when I’m talking about justification, nothing else,” Smith said. “Everything else about it is wrong. Morally and ethically wrong.”
Smith also rejected claims that his remarks aligned him with right-wing ideology, saying critics were trying to “paint a picture” that does not reflect his beliefs. He concluded his remarks by asserting control over his platform, saying,
“Thank God I got my own platforms to address bullsh*t like this.”
What Stephen A. Smith Said After the Shooting
In Complex, Smith’s original comments were made just hours after Good was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. On his SiriusXM show Straight Shooter, Smith said the killing was “completely unnecessary,” while also asserting that, from a lawful perspective, the agent was “completely justified.”
Smith questioned the agent’s actions from a humanitarian standpoint, suggesting that less lethal options were available.
“From a humanitarian perspective, however, why did he have to do that?” Smith said, according to the LA Times.
Smith Doubles Down as Protests and Scrutiny Grow
Smith later doubled down on his position amid protests and public criticism, arguing that Good provoked the situation that led to her death. The LA Times reports Smith said the ICE agent would have been run over had he not moved out of the way, a claim disputed by local officials and video evidence.
Smith also accused media outlets and commentators of attempting to get him fired, specifically calling out the New York Post and media personality Keith Olbermann for what he described as misleading coverage.
“In the moment when you are dealing with law enforcement officials, you obey their orders so you can get home safely,” Smith said. “Renee Good did not do that.”
Video Evidence and Official Accounts Clash
According to the LA Times, video footage from multiple angles shows that the ICE agent was not standing directly in front of Good’s vehicle when he opened fire. Local officials have said Good posed no immediate danger to ICE officers.
The LA Times also reports that a video posted by Alpha News shows Good calmly speaking to agents before the shooting, telling them, “I’m not mad at you.”
Meanwhile, statements cited by AP News, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem described Good’s actions as “an act of domestic terrorism,” while the Trump administration has maintained that the agent acted in self-defense.
Congress Enters the Picture
Good’s killing has now reverberated across Capitol Hill, with Democrats and some Republicans calling for investigations, policy changes, and possible consequences for ICE and Noem.
AP News reports that lawmakers are demanding a full investigation into Good’s death, changes to ICE enforcement tactics, and in some cases, defunding ICE or impeaching Noem. The outlet also states that the shooting occurred after Good had dropped off her 6-year-old child at school.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries called the incident “a complete and total disgrace,” saying House Democrats are considering a “strong and forceful” response.
In AP News, Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski described the videos as “deeply disturbing” and called for a thorough, objective investigation.
As Renee Good’s death becomes another reckoning over ICE enforcement, protesters are pushing for more political accountability.
Congress is debating next steps, and Smith remains defiant in his framing of the shooting.
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