TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa County Sheriff Vic Regalado shared a response to a statement made by Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols in regard to the death of a Minneapolis woman who was shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer earlier this week.
Mayor Nichols shared a statement on the death of Renee Good. He expressed his condolences for Good’s family and highlighted what he believes is a bigger issue surrounding other similar incidents.
“I first want to share my condolences with the Good family and the Minneapolis community for what they are gouging through. Those responsible for Ms. Good’s death must be held accountable,” wrote Nichols. “But we must also recognize that she is not alone. Too many others have been targeted or harmed simply because of who they are or for what they stand for.”
Mayor Nichols said in his statement that despite the tragedy, members of the community should “demand justice” and “seek closure” for everyone who may be affected.
On Saturday, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office shared a statement to its Facebook page in response to Mayor Nichols. The statement was attributed to Sheriff Vic Regalado.
The full statement reads:
“True leadership demands more. In times of tension, leaders are obligated to lower the temperature – not raise it. They should encourage peaceful expression, lawful protest, and respect for human life, not rhetoric that fuels anger, division, or the justification of violence along partisan lines.
“When public officials frame tragedy through a political lens, they risk turning grief into grievance and disagreement into disorder.
“The recent statements given by Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols publicly condemning a law enforcement officer for a shooting in Minneapolis before all the facts are known and before due process has had an opportunity to take place was irresponsible.
“That is not how justice works in this country. We do not decide guilt or innocence by headlines, social-media pressure, or political expediency. We decide it through evidence, lawful investigation, and the constitutional protections that apply to everyone- especially when the moment is controversial.
“This is not a defense of misconduct. If the investigation determines wrongdoing, then discipline and prosecution should follow. But no elected official has the authority or the moral standing to issue a verdict before the process is complete. Doing so weakens the rule of law and undermines confidence in every institution that depends on it.
“Furthermore, using inflammatory statements such as “Those responsible for Ms. Good’s death must be held accountable. But we must also recognize that she is not alone. Too many others have been targeted or harmed simply because of who they or for what they stand for.”
“Who exactly is being targeted for who they are, for what they believe, and who are they being targeted by? I believe Tulsans deserve an exact explanation. Statements like this only stoke the fires of civil unrest, especially when they are not based in fact.
“If we expect our communities to act lawfully and peacefully, then those entrusted with power must lead by example. Due process, public order, and civic unity are not partisan values. They are the foundation of a free society-and they must be defended without exception.”
Both Sheriff Regalado’s and Mayor Nichols’ statements follow an influx of reactions, protests, and outrage at the news of Good’s death. Tulsans even took to gathering outside Senator Markwayne Mullin’s Tulsa office on Thursday in protest of ICE.
