In Summit County, Ohio, a dramatic turn of events unfolded on Friday when FBI agents shot and killed a man from Akron during a confrontation in Gulf Shores, Alabama. The man, identified as Alexander Randles, was being served a warrant when the incident occurred on Colonial Parkway.
According to a statement from the FBI, their SWAT team was involved in the shooting. Randles was armed at the time, but it’s unclear whether he fired at the agents. The details surrounding the confrontation are still under investigation by the FBI’s inspection division.
Randles owned a car repair shop in Akron called RoadRunners Tires, which shut down last year. He had claimed his business was targeted by a domestic terrorist group, a claim tied to a series of unusual incidents involving him. Earlier this year, Randles attempted to perform a citizen’s arrest on a doctor, alleging the doctor had falsified medical documents to hide a deadly disease he believed was intentionally given to him by the same group. During the attempt, Randles was reportedly armed with a pistol and carried handcuffs. Police intervened, and Randles left without escalating the situation further.
Authorities said Randles also had a rifle in his car at the time of the incident. He later called for what he referred to as an “unorganized militia” and wrote a manifesto that included plans for citizens’ arrests targeting government officials, including the Stark County prosecutor.
Randles had been committed to a mental institution earlier this year, adding another layer of complexity to his story. He was charged with interstate transmission of a threat to kidnap or harm, leading to the warrant the FBI was trying to serve in Alabama.
The investigation into the shooting and Randles’ actions continues, with the FBI thoroughly reviewing the events. Local officials, including the Stark County Prosecutor’s Office, have yet to comment on the case.
