“My son was murdered. He was shot,” Ophelia Nichols, known affectionately as "MamaTot" on TikTok, said in a video, which has since gone viral. She appealed to her 7 million followers for answers in the killing.
TikTok star Ophelia Nichols, known affectionately on the social media platform as "MamaTot," appealed to her 7 million followers for answers after her youngest child was shot dead in an act of gun violence over the weekend in Alabama.
“Today would have been my baby child’s 19th birthday, but he was took from me last night. Took from my children and my husband and our family,” Nichols, who posts from @shoelover99 on TikTok, said in a video Saturday. “My son was murdered. He was shot.”
Randon Lee, 18, was shot at a gas station before driving down the street to a different gas station, where he was later found dead, Nichols told local outlet WKRN. The shooting occurred around 7:45 p.m. Friday in Prichard, a few miles northwest of Mobile.
Nichols, who is known for her Southern charm and wisdom as well as her love of fashion, publicly grieved in the video she posted to TikTok. There, she also asked for help in catching the person or persons responsible for taking Randon’s life.
“There’s no guidebook on how to get through any heartbreak in life,” she said. “I ain’t never asked y’all for anything but I need your help with this…They’re out there, living and breathing. But my son has died.”
“He was just 18 years old, that’s the best part of somebody’s life,” she tearfully said. Nichols has three other children. Randon was her youngest.
She also held up a photo of Randon and addressed his killer, saying, “And I want you to look at my son. Look at my son. Look at him! This is my son, and you took him from me!”
Prichard Police say this shooting is under investigation. No arrests have been made.
Anyone with information can contact the Alabama Crime Investigation Hotline at 1-800-392-8011.
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