A police officer involved in a fatal shooting during a routine traffic stop reportedly made a chilling statement to a fellow officer, according to investigators.
On September 14, 2022, Timothy Michael Randall was on his way home when Sgt. Shane Iversen from the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office stopped him at 12:30 am in Texas. Randall, a 29-year-old construction worker, had been speaking to his mother on the phone, informing her he would be home shortly, but ended the call as the officer approached.
Iversen informed Randall that he had failed to stop at a stop sign, a claim supported by police dashcam footage, as reported by NBC News. Randall contested the accusation, insisting he had come to a complete stop, and was then asked by the officer to exit his vehicle on a rural road two hours east of Dallas.
The situation escalated rapidly, culminating in Randall being fatally shot on the roadside. After the incident, Iversen, who was 57 at the time, communicated to a colleague via police radio that he had shot the man. In a five-word statement, he said: “I just smoked a dude,” in a subdued tone.
The confrontation began when Randall was said to have placed his wallet in his back pocket and adjusted his waistband as he exited the vehicle, a move that Iversen later claimed he perceived as a potential threat suggesting Randall might be armed.
Iversen instructed Randall to put his hands behind his back, to which Randall complied, stating, “I don’t have anything on me.” Randall then questioned, “Officer, please, can you tell me what I’m under arrest for?”
Despite Randall’s compliance, Iversen reportedly did not respond and instead forced Randall to the ground. A struggle ensued, resulting in Randall being pushed down a second time, but he managed to rise to his feet and attempted to flee. It was then that Iversen discharged his firearm, striking Randall in the chest.
Randall collapsed, and although Iversen attempted to provide medical assistance, Randall succumbed to his injuries on the pavement. The bullet had penetrated his ribs, lungs, and heart.
Randall’s mother, Wendy Tippitt, spent weeks seeking answers as to why her son did not return home and how a routine traffic stop could result in his death. Months later, a jury decided not to indict Iversen for the shooting of the unarmed man.
It was not until nearly two years after the event that Tippitt first saw her son’s final moments in the dashcam footage, following a federal lawsuit she filed. Tippitt expressed her dismay, stating, “The only person that was attacking anybody was Sgt. Iversen attacking my son.”
Iversen, who had served as a police officer for 13 years in Dallas and Rusk County, retired after the incident and sought to keep the footage confidential. He had previously stated to investigators that he was on heightened alert due to the area’s reputation for drug trafficking and believed Randall might have been armed.
Iversen explained, “I don’t want to be caught on my knees with this active guy with a weapon in his waistband,” adding that his “survival instinct kicked in” leading him to draw and fire. The supposed weapon was later identified as a glasses case containing a meth pipe.