Deputy no-billed in officer-involved shooting

HENDERSON – The Rusk County deputy who was under investigation following a fatal officer-involved shooting on Sept. 14 was no-billed by a grand jury on Thursday, according to the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office. The grand jury decided there was not enough evidence to indict the deputy for the incident, and the case will no longer be prosecuted. According to our news partner KETK, a custodial report on the incident says the victim was allegedly struggling to conceal drugs and resisting arrest. The document claims the deceased Timothy Michael Randall, 29, “attempted to conceal contraband” during a pat-down after a traffic stop on CR 4125 near SH 64 in Henderson.

The report said Randall made movements to his waistband during the pat-down and “resisted the deputy’s attempts to handcuff him and a struggle ensued.” The report says the deputy and Randall then struggled on the ground, but that Randall broke free and stood up while the deputy was in “a tactically compromised position” on the ground. The deputy fired one round, striking Randall in the torso.

Randall was pronounced dead at the scene, and according to the report, he would have been charged with possession of meth, possession of drug paraphernalia, and resisting arrest. He was determined to not have displayed or used a weapon during the incident. “What we want to do right now is focus on prayers for everybody that is involved in the situation, so we can start working towards getting past this and making sure that we’re doing what we need to do for this county,” Rusk County Sheriff Johnwayne Valdez said at the time.