In the quiet rural community of Rock, West Virginia, what began as an aged sibling dispute ended in a heartbreaking scene of violence and loss. On the morning of Thursday, November 6, 2025, at around 9:35 a.m., officials from the West Virginia State Police’s Princeton Detachment arrived at Rock Road to find 80-year-old Randall Mabe lying wounded in the roadway, barely conscious from at least one gunshot wound.
Investigators quickly determined that Randall’s 72-year-old brother, Fredrick Mabe, of the same community, was the alleged shooter. According to police reports, after firing at Randall, Fredrick retreated into a nearby residence and barricaded himself inside with a handgun.
Law-enforcement response was swift and layered: multiple units converged, including crisis negotiators, a Special Response Team (SRT) designated as the Delta Team, the state police’s K-9 unit, and bomb/robot technicians. A perimeter was established around the home, and attempts were made to peacefully engage Fredrick and get him to surrender.
Unfortunately, the stand-off escalated into gunfire. According to the State Police release, Fredrick discharged his firearm at the SRT team inside the home. The officers returned fire in self-defense, striking Fredrick, who later died from his injuries inside the residence. No officers were reported hurt during the exchange.
Meanwhile, Randall was treated on scene and then transported to a nearby hospital. Officials report his wounds are non-life-threatening, and he is expected to make a full recovery. The case remains under active investigation by the West Virginia State Police, who say they’re reviewing body-camera footage, shell-casing evidence, witness statements and other standard protocols to ensure proper procedure was followed.
For the residents of Rock and the greater Mercer County region, the tragedy is deeply disturbing. Many described the violence as uncharacteristic for their quiet community—and especially painful given the ages of the brothers involved. One local simply said the news “hit like lightning in a calm sky.” Local officials emphasised that officers made every effort to de-escalate before force was used.
The State Police issued their condolences to the Mabe family and emphasized that the community presents no ongoing threat. The scene around the residence has since been cleared, and investigators continue to piece together the full timeline of how a dispute between two longtime brothers turned into a law-enforcement tragedy in rural West Virginia.
