Location: Hermosa and Highway 65, Lindsay

Incident Date: 03/29/2016

Incident Time: 1100 hours

City: Lindsay

Posted by: Media Relations

Officer involved shooting, fugitive captured

A tip from a member of the public contributed to the capture of a one of our Top 10 Most Wanted Criminals in Hiding Tuesday at a motel in Lindsay where he had been hiding out. 


The suspect, Randall Clay Ver Steeg, 39, was wanted for burglary in Tulare County and was the primary suspect in two burglaries with losses of more than $100,000. He was also wanted by TRATT (Tulare County Regional Auto Theft Taskforce) for multiple stolen vehicles.


Selma Police Department has an outstanding felony arrest warrant for him for possession of weapons and ammunition, burglary, stolen vehicle and resisting arrest.


Suspect Ver Steeg is wanted by the Visalia Police Department in connection for a recent burglary within the City of Visalia.


When Ver Steeg was contacted by Sheriff Deputies Tuesday at a motel in Lindsay, he resisted and attempted to retrieve a loaded .357 magnum revolver from his waistband. 


A Sheriff’s deputy shot the suspect once in the upper torso. No other shots were fired.


At the request of Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, the Porterville Police Department has been asked to investigate the incident. As per protocol, the officer has been placed on paid administrative leave.


On Feb. 29, Ver Steeg was placed on the Sheriff’s Top 10 Most Wanted Criminals in Hiding. He was known to be armed and dangerous, Sheriff Boudreaux said during a press conference in Lindsay.


“Mr. Ver Steeg created this situation,” he said. “He created a threat by reaching for his gun.”


Ver Steeg was taken by ambulance to Kaweah Delta Medical Center in critical condition and underwent surgery upon arrival there. Currently, he’s in the intensive care unit in stable condition.


Sheriff Boudreaux started the CATTCH team, which stands for County Apprehension Team Tracking Criminals in Hiding, to identify fugitives in Tulare County and capture them. This resulted in the Sheriff’s Top 10 Most Wanted Criminals in Hiding.

This list can be viewed on our website, http://www.tularecounty.ca.gov/sheriff/. 

Simply click on the icon below the Sheriff’s message. To find out what each suspect is wanted for, click on his or her photograph.