Update: Sheriff’s Office releases additional details of Highway 101 shooting
Update posted Sept. 19:
– The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office released additional information about an officer-involved shooting that killed a 44-year-old man Sept. 17 on southbound Highway 101 south of Niblick Road in Paso Robles.
The man, identified as Randall Kelley, had no known address but previously lived in San Miguel. No law enforcement personnel were injured during the incident.
Shortly after 8 a.m. Sept. 17, 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 in Paso Robles. Deputies located the vehicle with assistance from an Automatic License Plate Recognition system.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, deputies knew Kelley and found that he 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 previously told family members that he wanted 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 the location. Deputies initiated a vehicle pursuit onto northbound Highway 101.
The vehicle later exited Highway 101 in San Miguel and began driving southbound on Highway 101. Deputies terminated the pursuit during the southbound pursuit because of public safety concerns.
Shortly afterward, Kelley was involved in a traffic collision on southbound Highway 101 south of Niblick Road.
After the collision, Kelley remained inside his vehicle and refused to comply with numerous commands from law enforcement. A member of the Sheriff’s Office Crisis Negotiation Team made multiple attempts to contact Kelley by cellular phone in an effort to gain compliance and reach a peaceful resolution.
A member of the Sheriff’s Office drone team also used a drone, which was placed on the hood of Kelley’s vehicle, to maintain a visual of the vehicle’s interior.
After about 20 minutes of commands from law enforcement, Kelley exited the vehicle and immediately pointed a handgun at members of the Sheriff’s Office and the Paso Robles Police Department, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The action prompted an officer-involved shooting.
Sheriff’s Office and Paso Robles police personnel then developed a tactical approach to Kelley to make the scene safe and provide medical attention. Kelley was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The Sheriff’s Office later identified the handgun as a Crosman SNR357 .177-caliber pellet/BB gun.
A still image from the Sheriff’s Office drone shows Kelley gripping 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 show Kelley pointing the weapon at law enforcement, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Office said Kelley was arrested by North Station deputies in December 2025 and separately in January 2026 for violating a domestic violence restraining order.
In February 2026, the Sheriff’s Office arrested Kelley for stalking, possession of a loaded firearm, and possession of a controlled substance while armed with a firearm.
The felony and misdemeanor warrants described in the Sheriff’s Office’s statement were issued in September 2026.
In accordance with department policy, the involved law enforcement personnel have been placed on paid administrative leave and are receiving support services.
The investigation remains ongoing, and the Sheriff’s Office said there is no threat to the public.
Anyone with additional information about the incident can contact the Sheriff’s Office Detective Division at (805) 781-4500.
No further information was available at the time of the Sheriff’s Office’s statement.
Update posted Sept. 17, 3 p.m.:
Photo from Sheriff’s Department.
Update: Suspect shot and killed after pointing handgun at officers in standoff
– A suspect died Thursday after pointing a handgun at San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Paso Robles Police Department officers during an officer-involved shooting on Highway 101 in Paso Robles, according to a press release from the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff’s deputies became involved in a vehicle pursuit with a male suspect wanted in connection with a felony stalking case.
Deputies initially attempted to contact the suspect while he was inside his vehicle in a parking lot in Paso Robles. The suspect accelerated back, striking a sheriff’s patrol unit, then sped away, beginning a pursuit.
The pursuit continued northbound on Highway 101 before the suspect turned around near Mission Street in San Miguel and began traveling southbound. Deputies attempted to use a spike strip several times.
As the suspect approached Paso Robles, the Sheriff’s Office terminated the pursuit due to safety concerns. Deputies lost sight of the vehicle at that time.
The suspect later crashed his vehicle while traveling on Highway 101 and stopped along the side of the highway near the Niblick Road overpass in Paso Robles.
Deputies, along with a member of the Sheriff’s Crisis Negotiation Team, attempted to make contact with the suspect. The suspect remained inside his vehicle.
The suspect then exited the vehicle and pointed a handgun at sheriff’s deputies and officers with the Paso Robles Police Department. Shots were fired, and the suspect was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Three Paso Robles police officers and two sheriff’s deputies were directly involved in the shooting. No law enforcement officers were injured.
The Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit and Professional Standards Unit will conduct investigations into the incident. The California Highway Patrol will conduct a concurrent investigation.
There is no threat to the public at this time.
The investigation remains active. The Sheriff’s Office said additional information will be released as it becomes available.
Original report posted Sept. 17, 9:20 a.m.:
Standoff prompts closure of Highway 101 in Paso Robles
– The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department closed southbound Highway 101 at Spring Street in Paso Robles at 8:50 a.m. Thursday due to police activity, according to an AlertSLO notification sent to residents. The alert asked the public to stay out of the area until further notice.
Around 9 a.m. Thursday, reports of a standoff in the area began circulating on social media.
According to reports, the freeway was closed in both directions.
Readers are reporting being diverted onto the frontage road and described traffic there as slow but moving.
The Sheriff’s Department has not released additional details at this time.
