After killing unarmed man, Texas deputy told colleague: 'I just smoked a dude'

HENDERSON, Texas — Timothy Michael Randall was on his mobile phone with his mother when a squad car approached his Nissan Altima, lights blinking. It was shortly after 12:30 a.m. on Sept. 14, 2022, and Randall was en route to his cousin’s residence after an evening out.

“He had called to inform me that he’d be home in a few minutes,” Randall’s mother, Wendy Tippitt, recollected. “So, I wouldn’t be concerned.”

Randall, 29, pulled over and ended the call. Sgt. Shane Iversen of the Rusk County Sheriff’s Department walked up to the Altima and accused Randall of running a stop sign, police dash cam footage reveals. Randall disputed the claim, and Iversen commanded him to exit the vehicle.

What began as a mundane traffic stop on an East Texas rural road, roughly two hours east of Dallas, swiftly evolved into a chaotic confrontation.

As Randall was stepping out of the car, he placed his wallet in his back pocket and adjusted his waistline.

Iversen hastily reached into the front of Randall’s pants and then instructed him to put his hands behind his back, the dash cam footage shows. Randall kept his arms raised.

The Encounter Escalates

“Officer, I don’t have anything on me,” he said.

“Officer, please, could you tell me why I’m under arrest?” Randall asked moments later.

Iversen did not respond. Instead, he grappled with Randall, wrestling him to the pavement.

“Officer, please,” Randall pleaded as he fought to stand up.

Then Iversen threw Randall to the ground again. He landed on his back several feet away, but the momentum allowed him to get back to his feet. Randall started to turn and run away from Iversen, who had already pulled out his gun and was pointing it at Randall.

“Get down,” Iversen shouted as he fired one shot, striking Randall in the chest.

Randall attempted to flee but collapsed face down. Iversen radioed for assistance and then tried to administer first aid, but Randall died on the pavement. The bullet had pierced his ribs, lungs, and heart, according to autopsy records.

Aftermath and Legal Proceedings

After another deputy arrived minutes later, Iversen, then 57, returned to his patrol car and called a colleague. “I just shot a guy,” he said in a hushed voice.

In the days and weeks that followed, Randall’s mother sought answers in vain, contacting the Texas Rangers and the Rusk County district attorney’s office. She was uncertain how her son ended up deceased after a routine police traffic stop.

“Nobody was providing us with any information,” said Tippitt, who was born and raised in Rusk County and currently works as a house cleaner.

Her initial shock came two months after the shooting when a grand jury decided not to indict Iversen for killing an unarmed man.

The second came last summer when Iversen’s attorneys released the dashcam footage following her federal lawsuit filing. Nearly two years after the incident, she finally witnessed, in grim detail, the moments preceding her youngest son’s death.

“The sole individual attacking anyone was Sgt. Iversen attacking my son,” Tippitt stated.

Police Shooting Statistics

Each year for the past decade, approximately 1,000 individuals have been shot and killed by law enforcement in the U.S., according to a database compiled by The Washington Post.

The vast majority of these incidents do not make national headlines. Many involve individuals who were armed at the time or acted aggressively toward officers.

Randall was neither armed nor aggressive toward Iversen. Nonetheless, the incident has garnered little attention beyond Rusk County.

Family and Background

Randall’s Family

“My family and I don’t come from wealth,” said Randall’s older brother, Douglas, an Army veteran who served for a decade.

Their parents divorced when the boys were toddlers, and their mother worked multiple jobs—customer service representative, waitress, school cafeteria worker—to sustain the family while raising the boys alone.

“No one in Rusk County has offered an apology. No one has shown remorse,” Douglas added.

Timothy Michael Randall’s Background

Randall struggled to find his footing after high school graduation, where he played football and basketball. He found employment as a welder but faced multiple drug possession charges, leading to two felony convictions and two prison sentences.

Despite three long years incarcerated, Randall remained affable and hopeful, family members said. He was working in construction at the time of the fatal encounter and had recently moved in with his mother after a breakup.

“He always tried to focus on the positive,” his mother recalled. “He was just an upbeat, cheerful person.”

Shane Iversen’s Background

Iversen was nearing the end of his career when he pulled over Randall, having worked as a law enforcement officer for 13 years—first in Dallas and then in Rusk County. He was hired in Rusk County in 2020 and is a decorated Army special forces soldier who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

He began his military career in 1986 with the Marines. Military records show he later joined the Army and served in special forces, rising to the rank of senior sergeant. He deployed to Afghanistan for four months in 2003 and then to Iraq from April 2007 to September 2008—earning a Bronze Star for valor, the fourth-highest military decoration.

Iversen’s Perspective

Two days post the deadly incident, Iversen met with the Texas Rangers, the agency investigating police shootings and reflective of his military career, stating he had been in several firefights. He mentioned that Randall, driving in a drug-trafficking-prone area and not immediately stopping, heightened his alertness.

Iversen confirmed an open can of Modelo lime beer in Randall’s car and assumed Randall was intoxicated. He claimed that Randall made a quick move with his right hand, suggesting a weapon. He searched Randall and found an unclear object in his pants, which he believed to be a revolver.

“At that point, I knew I had a problem,” he stated during the interview. “I tackled him because I suspected he had a gun, but he was quicker and got back up. I saw him running towards me; I couldn’t risk being defenseless with a potentially armed suspect.”

Post-shooting, Iversen searched Randall’s pockets and found a glasses case with a meth pipe inside. Dash cam footage does not clearly show the discovery, but Iversen mentions it to another deputy.

Autopsy results revealed that Randall had methamphetamine, marijuana, and alcohol in his system, though his blood alcohol level was much below the legal limit.

‘There was no justifiable threat’

Two police use-of-force experts, upon reviewing footage and the Texas Rangers’ report, indicated that Iversen’s use of lethal force was unjustified.

Mickie McComb, a former New Jersey state trooper, stated Randall performed no action suggesting he was “reaching for or attempting to reach for a weapon.”

David Klinger, a former police officer in Los Angeles and Redmond, Washington, concurred. “There’s no valid reason why he fired at the suspect,” Klinger said.

Expert Analysis

Klinger questioned why Iversen attempted to subdue an allegedly armed man without drawing his own weapon, maintaining a safe distance, or requesting backup.

Instead, Iversen could have ordered Randall to keep his hands visible and move away from the perceived threat.

McComb believed that if this had occurred in the Northeastern United States, Iversen could have faced criminal charges.

“The Grave Mistake in Law Enforcement”

In October 2023, Tippitt filed a federal lawsuit against Iversen and Rusk County alleging constitutional breaches for excessive force, unlawful policing, and false imprisonment.

At the time, neither Randall’s mother nor the public had viewed the dashcam footage. Last summer, a judge mandated Iversen’s attorneys to disclose evidence, including the dashcam footage.

Iversen subsequently requested a court order to prevent public disclosure of the video, arguing safety concerns. The court rejected his request in June 2024.

Legal Implications

Tippitt’s attorney, Joseph Oxman, initially struggled to comprehend the incident’s footage. “I think it’s one of the most appalling police shootings I’ve ever encountered,” he commented. “This appears more like an execution.”

He added that the footage suggested Iversen couldn’t have seen Randall disregard the stop sign. Iversen admitted being too far from the junction, admitting familiarity but acknowledging only partial visibility.

“There’s no possibility he saw the supposed violation,” asserted Oxman.

The video’s release sparked local protests and outraged social media posts directed at the sheriff’s department.

Iversen requested the case’s dismissal, pleading qualified immunity, a doctrine insulating law enforcement from civil litigation. His lawyers argued that Randall’s mother couldn’t prove any constitutional breach and that his conduct was “objectively reasonable.”

In an interview, Iversen’s attorney portrayed Randall as a repeat offender who intended to flee, regardless of any potential conflict with the officer.

This year, a federal magistrate judge in Texas, John Love, recommended rejecting Iversen’s summary judgment motion, finding that, based on available evidence:

• Iversen’s use of deadly force was excessive for the minor crimes committed (traffic violation, open container, drug possession).
• Randall posed no physical threat to Iversen.
• The shooting occurred with Randall unarmed, hands visible, and with Iversen in a kneeling position and allegations of trying to escape.

A district judge will decide soon on this motion. A positive decision will enable the case to advance, potentially setting Rusk County for review

The grim memories and unresolved grief cast a lingering shadow over the path of justice for Tippitt and her kin in the rural East Texas region.

Timeline of Events

On the night he died, Randall had spent the evening at the Texas Player’s Club, a local sports bar. Upon seeing the police car, he confided to his mother that his car might be towed due to expired tags.

“I was about four minutes away,” said Tippitt, “I assured him I’d be right there.” By the time she arrived, an official had set up crime scene tape.

“I had this ghastly foreboding,” she confided before breaking down.

She then went to her nephew’s house, where Randall was heading, before returning to the scene with her nephew.

On seeing Randall’s car, with the door open, her emotions overwhelmed her. Officers were seen covering Randall’s body with a sheet. An officer advised her to “go home and be with your family.”

“My family member was lying in the road!” Tippitt cried out in distress.

Last Moments

Since then, she’s battled insomnia and lethargy, often reliving her son’s final moments. In the split second before being mortally wounded, he pleaded, “Officer, please.”

His last words echo in her memory, a haunting reminder of the unforgiveable punishment meted out on that fateful night.