Sheriff releases new details in fatal Highway 101 shooting
By Staff Report · Fri Sep 18 2026
PASO ROBLES — The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office has released additional information regarding an officer-involved shooting that occurred Thursday, Sept. 17, when a 44-year-old man was killed after he pointed a handgun at law enforcement officers following a vehicle pursuit and traffic collision on southbound Highway 101 in Paso Robles.
The Sheriff’s Office identified the man as Randall Kelley, who had no known address but had previously been living in San Miguel.
The incident began shortly after 8 a.m. Sept. 17, when deputies from the Sheriff’s Office North Station located a vehicle associated with Kelley in the Hampton Inn parking lot in the 200 block of Alexa Court. Deputies located the vehicle with assistance from an Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) system.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Kelley was known to deputies and had an active no-bail felony warrant for carrying a loaded firearm, possession of narcotics while armed with a firearm and stalking. He also had an active $15,000 misdemeanor warrant for violating a domestic violence restraining order.
The Sheriff’s Office said Kelley had previously made statements to family members about wanting to commit “suicide by cop.”
As deputies attempted to contact Kelley and take him into custody, his vehicle struck a Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicle and fled. Deputies initiated a pursuit onto northbound Highway 101.
The vehicle later exited the freeway in San Miguel and began traveling southbound on Highway 101. Deputies eventually terminated the pursuit because of public safety concerns.
Shortly afterward, Kelley was involved in a traffic collision on southbound Highway 101 south of Niblick Road.
Following the collision, Kelley remained inside his vehicle and refused numerous commands from law enforcement. A member of the Sheriff’s Office Crisis Negotiation Team attempted multiple times to contact him by cellphone in an effort to gain compliance and resolve the situation peacefully.
A member of the Sheriff’s Office Unmanned Aircraft Systems team also deployed a drone, which was placed on the hood of Kelley’s vehicle to maintain a visual of the vehicle’s interior.
After approximately 20 minutes of commands and attempts to communicate with Kelley, he exited the vehicle and, according to the Sheriff’s Office, immediately pointed a handgun at members of the Sheriff’s Office and Paso Robles Police Department. Law enforcement personnel then opened fire.
Sheriff’s Office and Paso Robles Police Department personnel subsequently developed a tactical approach to Kelley and provided medical attention. Kelley was pronounced deceased at the scene.
No law enforcement personnel were injured.
The weapon involved was later identified as a Crosman SNR357 .177-caliber pellet/BB gun.
The Sheriff’s Office released a still image from its drone showing Kelley holding the weapon with his finger on the trigger immediately before exiting the vehicle. Still images from in-car camera systems, captured immediately before the shooting, also show Kelley pointing the weapon toward law enforcement, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Kelley had prior arrests involving the same general circumstances. In December 2025 and separately in January 2026, he was arrested by North Station deputies for violating a domestic violence restraining order. In February 2026, he was arrested by the Sheriff’s Office for stalking, possession of a loaded firearm and possession of a controlled substance while armed with a firearm.
The felony and misdemeanor warrants described by the Sheriff’s Office were issued in September 2026.
In accordance with department policy, the law enforcement personnel involved in the shooting have been placed on paid administrative leave and are receiving support services.
The investigation remains ongoing. The Sheriff’s Office said there is no threat to the public.
Anyone with additional information about the incident is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office Detective Division at (805) 781-4500