Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols Apologizes After Sheriff Criticizes His Condolences

TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols was publicly criticized on social media by the Tulsa County Sheriff for offering his condolences to the family of the woman shot and killed by ICE in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Though Nichols’ message called for unity, Sheriff Vic Regalado claimed the post was politically “irresponsible,” leading Nichols to issue an apology.
Nichols posted the original message on Jan. 9 following the well-publicized killing of Minneapolis resident Renee Good by ICE officer Johnathan Ross, shot through the windshield and driver window of her vehicle as she attempted to drive away. Ross claimed Good was attempting to run him over with her vehicle.
Though several videos of the incident that have been posted to social media showing Good’s vehicle did not strike the officer and show Ross walking away apparently unharmed, President Trump and members of his administration have repeatedly claimed Ross was injured in the incident and suffered internal bleeding, and that Good, a mother of three, was a “terrorist.”
Protests and conflicts with ICE officials have continued to escalate in the Minneapolis area and around the country in the wake of the killing.
Nichols’ Jan. 9 posting to Facebook reads as follows, in its entirety:
“These past couple of days, I’ve been at a loss for words regarding the killing of Renee Nicole Good and the rise in violence targeting individuals and communities across our country. It’s been hard to verbalize the level of confusion, frustration, and sadness.
“I first want to share my condolences with the Good family and the Minneapolis community for what they are going through. 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 are or for what they stand for.
“If we are to be a united country, our leaders must lead in truth and justice. Because, unfortunately, we find ourselves in a familiar place in America. But we know that we don’t have to retreat into our corners this time. We don’t have to argue; we just have to decide. Decide if we want to be a strong, united country. In Tulsa, we’ve made that decision. We stand for what’s right and we stand by our community and our people.
“While we mourn Ms. Good and all those who have been targeted, we will continue to pray for them and their families. Demand justice. And seek closure for every family affected.
“I know this: even in this terrible, uncertain time, we must find our way back to each other. Our hope and our strength as Americans and Tulsans depend on it.”
Nichols ended his message with a quote from the ancient Greek playwright Aeschylus, “Even in our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God.”
In response to the mayor’s post, Sheriff Regalado posted on the Tulsa County Sheriff Department’s Facebook page on Jan. 10.
Regaldo’s message read as follows:
“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. Goods 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.
Respectfully
Sheriff Vic Regalado.”
Nichols again posted on Jan. 10, clarifying his earlier comments.
“Let me be clear, my comments regarding the incident in Minneapolis was in no way shape or form an attack on law enforcement, my father dedicated his life to police work and there is no way I’d ever want to cast a negative light on those who do the hard work of protecting us everyday,” Nichols wrote.
“What I tried to communicate was the acknowledgment that something went tragically wrong and there must be accountability, by way of a thorough investigation into the policy, practices and actions that led to the death of Ms. Good. I stand by that.
“All that said, the last thing I’d ever want to do is to divide this community, I’d much prefer to model what unity looks like even in times of great difficulty.
“I’m not too proud to recognize my comments alienated some in our law enforcement community and since my grandfather taught me a lessons in humility, I sincerely apologize for that. I also encourage everyone to treat each other with respect while expressing your opinions in the comments. We are all in this together.”
Several who contributed their thoughts in the comments on all three posts found it inappropriate for the sheriff to publicly criticize the mayor. Some questioned if racial dynamics were in play, with the Hispanic sheriff calling the city’s first Black mayor “irresponsible.” Others noted Nichols’ humility in offering an apology, while the sheriff did not, and that the sheriff has failed to criticize members of the Trump administration for “inflammatory” remarks in the wake of the incident.
Several national news organizations reported that six federal prosecutors in Minnesota resigned on Tuesday after they were prompted to investigate Good’s widow Becca Good, probing her alleged ties to activist groups that monitor immigration enforcement.