"Until All Are Safe and Secure": Decorah Residents Hold Candlelight Vigil for Renee Nicole Good

Without your donation, some stories vanish. Support Decorah News. DECORAH — About 75 people gathered in cold, heavy rain Thursday afternoon for a candlelight vigil at the Water Street Pavilion in downtown Decorah to honor the life of Renee Nicole Good and to call for accountability following her death in South Minneapolis on Wednesday. The vigil began at 4:30 p.m. and was organized by local community members, including representatives of Decorah Community for Immigrant Rights, known as DCIR. Attendees stood close together under umbrellas as rain fell steadily and temperatures dipped, many holding candles despite the wet and windy conditions. Joshua Ratel-Khan, a member of DCIR, opened the gathering by asking the crowd to pause for a moment of silence in honor of Good. "We invite you to hold Renee Nicole Good in your hearts," Ratel-Khan said, before the group stood quietly together. Several speakers addressed the crowd, blending grief, prayer and calls for action. Sarah Brandt, also a member of DCIR, expressed anger and frustration as she spoke about Good's death and its broader implications. "We demand justice for Renee," Brandt said. "We demand an open and transparent investigation and the prosecution of the shooter. In solidarity, we demand that ICE get out of Minnesota, and ICE get out of our cities." Faith leaders from Decorah-area churches offered prayers and reflections throughout the vigil. Pastor Peter Kowitz of Decorah Lutheran Church urged those gathered to continue working toward a more just and peaceful world. "Every one of us needs to work toward a world where peace and harmony and love are stronger than hatred and greed," Kowitz said. "May we all continue this work until all are safe and secure. Until all are supported, and all are loved. Peace be with you all." Local resident Gabriel Andreas spoke forcefully, saying the events surrounding Good's death marked a turning point. "Yesterday's footage leaves little for interpretation," Andreas said. "These were not the isolated actions of a bad actor. Renee Nicole Good was murdered by the U.S. Government. We have crossed a threshold that brings us into a new and frightening world." Pastor Michael Wilker of First Lutheran Church emphasized compassion and responsibility toward others, particularly those who are vulnerable. "For those of us who are people of faith, our traditions speak clearly with one voice on this," Wilker said. "The stranger is to be welcomed. The vulnerable are to be protected. We are to love our neighbors, not as an abstraction, but as a way of life. Renee understood this. She was out caring for her neighbors when she was killed." Other local speakers reflected on shared grief and the need for collective response. "I hope you can look around and know that your grief is shared," said Rachael Button. "I hope that it breaks us open enough to imagine a world beyond the violent systems that surround us. I hope that you can feel in your body all that must change." Mariah McCain, a member of DCIR, encouraged those present not to lose their sense of compassion. "Don't let anyone try to uproot your morality, your empathy, your caring, your compassion," McCain said. "Because an attack on our neighbors is an attack on us all." Gabriel Eide, another DCIR member, acknowledged differences within the crowd while emphasizing unity and collective action. "We don't all share the same beliefs here. We don't all agree on the same tactics. There are divisions among us," Eide said. "Yet every one of us found the motivation to show up today. Something stirred in your soul." Pastor Kristen Larsen-Schmidt of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church offered a prayer near the end of the vigil. "I have nothing left but prayer," Larsen-Schmidt said, eyes closed in the candlelight. "I call upon The One who hears our sighs too deep for words..." As the gathering ended, attendees were invited to place their candles near a photograph of Good, lingering in the rain before slowly dispersing, many offering quiet embraces and words of comfort to one another. Your inbox, upgraded! Subscribe for free and enjoy handpicked stories, helpful advice, and local insights delivered weekly.