Police say TikTok star’s son was selling marijuana when he was shot in Prichard
By Ariel Mallory
Click here for updates on this story
PRICHARD, Alabama (WALA) — Prichard Police held a news conference on Monday to answer questions about the death of a local social media star’s son.
Randon Lee, 18, was gunned down on Friday at a gas station on St. Stephens Road. His mother is Ophelia Nichols, who runs a popular TikTok account shoelover99, and is known affectionately by her followers as Mama Tot.
No arrests have been made, but investigators in Prichard said they have identified two suspects in the killing. Police did not release their names saying that doing so would hinder the investigation.
Detectives did reveal that Lee met with the suspects to sell them marijuana.
According to Prichard Police Department Detective Jason Hadaway, Lee and the suspects pulled up to pumps at the gas station in separate vehicles. Video shows the suspects get out of their vehicle and into Lee’s vehicle where they shot him, Hadaway said.
The suspects then left the scene in a black SUV.
After Lee was shot, he drove across St Stephens Road to another gas station where he died from a single gunshot wound.
Detectives said Lee knew the two suspects before the incident.
“We do know at this time that Mr. Lee did have a relationship as far as selling to different individuals,” Hadaway said. “These two individuals had bought from him in the past.”
Investigators say they’ve been getting a lot of calls about the case, likely because of Nichols’ large following on social media.
“Ms. Nichols has a Tik Tok following which is great, and all those followers could help by calling in,” Hadaway said. “This homicide is not more important than any homicide we’ve had in the city of Prichard or actually anywhere.”
Police said this was the first time they knew about Lee selling marijuana in Prichard.
Anyone with additional information about the case is asked to call Prichard Police.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.