The TikTok star known as Mama Tot is speaking out in the aftermath of her son’s tragic death.
As we’ve been reporting, the social media sensation — whose real name is Ophelia Nichols — lost her son Randon Lee on Friday after he was shot and killed at a gas station in Prichard, Alabama. Lee would have turned 19 the very next day, as Mama Tot explained in her initial announcement of his tragic death.
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Now, more information is coming to light about the horrific incident. According to AL.com, detectives investigating Lee’s death in the suburb of Mobile are beginning to piece together exactly what happened that fateful day.
Detective Jason Hadaway told the media on Monday that Lee was shot after an apparent marijuana deal gone horribly wrong. According to the investigator, multiple suspects pulled up in a car, and one jumped out and got into Lee’s car when there was an apparent altercation with shots fired.
Hadaway reported that police later “found marijuana at the scene,” and explained detectives’ initial suspicions about the nature of the meeting leading to the murder:
“We do know at this time that Mr. Lee had made his way down to Wilmer and was selling narcotics to these two individuals.”
The detective noted that police “do have a couple suspects in mind.” However, citing the active status of the investigation, he refused to share more information other than the allegation that the death occurred in a drug deal gone wrong.
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Over on TikTok on Monday evening, Nichols posted a follow-up message to her much-followed account. First writing in the comments, she shared her emotional state during this unimaginably difficult time:
“We are in shock. I had this awful feeling cuz of the area he was in. I didn’t wanna belive it. Me,my kids,we are all in shock on top of the grief. We do believe we know who it was. Can’t say names yet BUT I believe the lord will make a way for Justice.”
It’s noteworthy that both she and the detective have independently indicated that police are apparently closing in on the murder suspects. Hopefully justice will be served in this terrible case.
As for the video itself, Mama Tot spoke directly to camera in the 3-minute clip, starting things out by saying:
“I’m getting through it. I’m getting through it. I made decisions today regarding my son’s service, and through this process we’ve found out a lot of stuff. A lot of stuff we just didn’t know.”
She spoke about the difficult parts of the story from there, explaining that she, too, had been informed about the drug deal theory held by detectives:
“It just don’t cross your mind that they would be doing anything to get themselves into trouble. But we’ve been told that the detectives think that marijuana was being dealed [sic], and my son was meeting there, and either they tried to rob him, or they did rob him, and he was shot.”
Clearly and understandably crushed over her son’s untimely death, Nichols concluded powerfully:
“We just had a birthday dinner for him, and we was all telling him how proud we was of him. We just had no idea. He comes from good people, and he comes from a good family, and a good home. But sometimes that just don’t matter, you know? … But it gives nobody the right to shoot my son. That’s all I know right now.”
Wow.
Here is the full video (below):
@shoelover99
Just absolutely heartbreaking.
We know it’ll never be anywhere near enough, but we send our love to Nichols during this unimaginably difficult time.
R.I.P.
[Image via Ophelia Nichols/TikTok/WKRG/YouTube]
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