TikTok Star, Ophelia Nichols, Returns to Social Media to Offer Update on Son’s Homicide Case
TikTok star, Ophelia Nichols, took to social media on Saturday to share news of her son’s death. The mother of four, who goes by the name ShoeLover99 on TikTok, pled with her more than 7 million followers to share information with the authorities if they knew anything about 18-year-old Randon Lee’s death. Now, Nichols has returned to give an update about the ongoing investigation.
Randon Lee, 18, was shot and killed in Prichard, Alabama, on June 24
Ophelia Nichols’ 18-year-old son, Randon Lee, was shot and killed in Alabama over the weekend. Nichols took to TikTok to share the tragic news with her followers and ask for their help identifying potential suspects. Nichols also spoke to local news stations to bring awareness to Lee’s case.
According to several reports, Lee, 18, was at a gas station in Prichard, Alabama, around 7:45om on June 24 when he was shot. According to police, the teen drove across the road to another gas station. Lee was pronounced dead at the scene. His death came just one day before his 19th birthday. He was the youngest of Nichols’ four children.
Following her emotional plea on Saturday, June 25, Nichols took a day away from TikTok. She returned on Monday. In her latest video, she offered her followers an update on her son’s case and thanked them for the outpouring of love and support.
Ophelia Nichols says police are following strong leads in her son’s shooting death
Ophelia Nichols returned to TikTok on Monday to update followers on her son’s case. According to the beloved TikTok star, police believe they know who is responsible for her son’s death. She told her followers that the police think multiple people were involved in the shooting.
Nichols said police told her that her son’s death may have been the result of a robbery or drug deal gone wrong. According to Nichols, the police told her that Lee might have been selling marijuana to an individual known to him when he was shot. She did not mention how that lead came about.
According to NBC 15, a Prichard Police spokesperson said cameras captured the incident at the gas station on June 24. The spokesperson said they believe Lee went to the gas station on Saint Stephens Road to sell marijuana. When the meetup turned bad, they believe he drove across the street to escape his assailants. While Alabama legalized medical marijuana in 2021, there are just 15 conditions that qualify for a medical marijuana license. Recreational marijuana remains illegal in the state.
In a pinned comment on her video, Nichols said she had a “bad feeling” because of the area where the incident took place. Prichard, Alabama, has a higher than average violent crime rate. The gun violence that took Lee’s life was not the only shooting incident in the city of just 21,000 over the weekend. According to WSFA 12, a mere 48 hours after Lee’s death, a gunman opened fire into a Popeye’s drive-thru. The incident occurred on the same road where Lee died. The gunfire sent two individuals working at the fast-food eatery to the hospital.
