Safe Mode: On
[Graphic Audio] Dashcam: Texas DPS Trooper Randy Vetter shot dead by man after routine traffic stop

Trooper Randall Wade Vetter
Texas Department of Public Safety -
Texas Highway Patrol
Texas
End of Watch: Monday, August 7, 2000

Biographical Info
Age: 28
Tour of Duty: 6 years
Badge Number: 8243
Name: vetter.jpg Views: 4405 Size: 4.2 KB

Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Thursday, August 3, 2000
Weapon Used: Rifle
Suspect Info: Convicted of murder

Trooper Vetter died from a gunshot wound he received 4 days earlier while conducting a traffic stop.

Trooper Vetter had stopped 72-year-old driver Melvin Edison Hale of Kyle for not wearing a seatbelt.
While he was sitting in his patrol car, the suspect exited his vehicle and opened fire with a rifle.

The trooper was struck in the head. Trooper Vetter was able to return fire but did not hit the suspect.

The suspect then used the patrol car's radio to say he shot the officer and then attempted to flee the scene.

An off duty officer who was passing by, witnessed the shooting and alerted other officers.

The suspect was then taken into custody after a brief standoff on the roadway.

The suspect was known to local officers for claiming he would shoot any officer who tried to write him a ticket for not wearing a seatbelt. The suspect was convicted of murder.

Trooper Vetter had been with the Texas Department of Public Safety for six years, and is survived by his wife and eight-month-old son.

Loading the player ...
Embed Code
Plays: 31652 (Embed: 0)

Added: Feb-16-2010 Occurred On: Aug-3-2000
By: Droshi
In: Other
Tags: Texas, DPS, State, Trooper, Dash, Cam, Redneck, Shooting, Death, Shot, Gunfire, Rifle
Location: Kyle, Texas, United States (load item map)
Marked as: approved
Views: 37145 | Comments: 48 | Votes: 3 | Favorites: 5 | Shared: 3806 | Updates: 0 | Times used in channels: 1
You need to be registered in order to add comments! Register HERE
Sort by: Newest first | Oldest first | Highest score first
Liveleak opposes racial slurs - if you do spot comments that fall into this category, please report them for us to review.

  • Hard to watch these, being former LE. I have to say, the Officers showed outstanding discipline. No shots fired on there part, when in all reality, that piece of shit should have been done right there. RIP to that Officer.

    Posted Feb-17-2010 By 
    madinkslinger69 (128.54)  

    (5)

  • The "old cowboy" should have died right there on that exit ramp.

    Posted Feb-16-2010 By 
    ewisejr (47.76)  

    (5)

  • He shoots the officer and then ask for emergency assistance... he doesn't leave the scene of the crime but resist arrest... and the fellows officers negociate with him while he has an assault rifle in his hand and whilst the first officer is in dire need of attention... and the old man lives to see another day... Alls I can say is life doesn't make any sense at times and RIP to the fallen officer...

    Posted Feb-16-2010 By 
    KOSMOPOLITISCH (395.52)  

    (5)

  • sad

    Posted Feb-16-2010 By 
    Fecks_ (1419.90)

    (4)

  • SO Sad RIP Officer

    Posted Feb-16-2010 By 
    6_6_6 (562.68)

    (3)

  • Damn........
    Thought I heard a death rattle at 3:08
    Pretty brutal.......

    Posted Feb-16-2010 By 
    Tongueboy (3090.24)

    (2)

    • You can hear definite death rattle for most of the video. It starts heavy, then it gets labored, then he has one big gasp and is pretty much quiet for the rest of the video. I think he moans a little bit when they FINALLY show up to help him at the end.

      So senseless and sad, that guy clearly had an agenda and had no apprehension about shooting the trooper.

      Posted Feb-16-2010 By 
      Droshi (312.66)  

      (2)

    • I thought the really odd thing was that he called it in and asked for help and then still kept his rifle.
      I think he was either suicidal or just not right in the head.
      I agree, I would have shot him on sight, but I have also been around my old Father who has dementia and his thoughts don't work right.
      It would be interesting to hear a follow up of the story.
      Either way, a public servant lost his life for no reason and that is sad.
      R.I.P.

      Posted Feb-16-2010 By 
      Tongueboy (3090.24)

      (1)

  • just terrible. i don't get why he tried to help

    Posted Feb-16-2010 By 
    YourCDNHero (56.72)  

    (2)

  • Should have just shot the criminal when they first arrived.

    Posted Feb-16-2010 By 
    boredin2008 (912.40)  

    (1)

  • I understand that this old man was still holding his rifle when the other officers responded so they needed to use caution, but he shot a cop and they're letting him walk around and get into his car with relative impunity. This guy shot a cop and has a gun, ffs. Drop him. If this had been a kid with a skateboard he would've been eating dirt within 5 seconds of their arrival.

    Posted Feb-16-2010 By 
    LevelVII (12.00)  

    (1)

  • The last words to come out of a policeman's mouth should never be "put the weapon down". There is a tremendous psychological resistance to looking another human being in the eye and then shooting him. The cop made the wrong decision when he used English to communicate instead of lead.

    Posted Feb-16-2010 By 
    Ergastule (132.06)  

    (1)

  • old prick should have been slowly killed what a low life act!

    Posted Feb-17-2010 By 
    ItsOnlyAFleshWound (89.84)
    ItsOnlyAFleshWound
    View Channel
    Send Message

    (1)

  • http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b58_1268150635

    This is HOW we do it in good ole' Wisconsin. We don't waste our TIME and try to call in negotiators while one of OUR own dies.

    These Texas "cops" should all be brought up on charges for NEGLIGENCE in the line of duty for hemmin' and hawin' around as one of their own bleeds to DEATH in his car as an armed murderer refuses to comply.
    Secondly, Officer Vetter broke the CARDINAL rule and didn't throw his car into reverse and put DISTANCE More..

    Posted Mar-28-2010 By 
    cheater_1 (10.84)

    (1)

  • Why didn't they shoot that bastard in the first minute of their arrival? They might have saved the officer. 4 cops in NYC fire 50 rounds at an unarmed man and kill him but these assholes let this guy walk around, get in his car and start driving. Go figure.

    Posted Feb-16-2010 By 
    downhill2400 (1324.98)

    (1)

  • when someone points a rifle like that immediately up and towards you should shoot them dead dead dead ! at least disable the person !

    Posted Feb-16-2010 By 
    mylostsoul (736.64)  

    (1)

  • The backup officers arrived to see a fellow cop dying in his car and the man who shot him walking around with the rifle refusing to put it down. These officers should have killed him immediately and gone to the aid of their fellow officer. I'm watching open-mouthed in amazement while they dance around this guy putting EVERYone's life at continuous risk instead of putting him down FAST. What kind of stupid cop TV shows is everybody watching that they have such a naive view of what needs to be don More..

    Posted Feb-16-2010 By 
    radsobad (51.96)

    (1)