Paul Randal Nebel, a 50-year-old male from Rapid City, South Dakota, died after being shot at the Central States Fairgrounds, where he worked as the longtime maintenance manager. Although the shooting happened on Sunday morning, June 7, 2026, online reports and obituary information state that Nebel died two days later, on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at Monument Health in Rapid City, surrounded by loved ones.
Nebel was known around the fairgrounds as “Pauly,” a steady presence whose work
touched the Central States Fair, the Black Hills Stock Show & Rodeo, and many other events held on the property. He had worked for Central States Fairgrounds since 2018 and was described by the organization as more than an employee: a friend, mentor, problem solver, and trusted coworker. On the morning of the shooting, authorities said Nebel was dealing with a personnel issue involving another fairgrounds employee when the confrontation turned violent.
The suspected shooter was identified in reports as 58-year-old John Troy Lee, also of Rapid City. Authorities said Lee had been living in a camper on the fairgrounds property. During the encounter, Lee allegedly opened fire and shot Nebel, leaving him critically injured. The shooting prompted a law enforcement response and led to the closure of the fairgrounds that day, including the cancellation of a scheduled roping event.
After the shooting, Lee fled Rapid City. Law enforcement later tracked him to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, where Oglala Sioux Tribe officers located and confronted him. During that encounter, authorities said Lee fired at officers, striking and wounding one tribal police officer. The officer’s injuries were reported as non-life-threatening. Officers returned fire, and Lee was killed at the scene.
Because Lee died during the officer-involved shooting, there were no reported arrests, charges, trial proceedings, or convictions connected to Nebel’s killing. Authorities described the investigation as ongoing in the immediate aftermath, involving multiple agencies across western South Dakota. Pennington County Sheriff Brian Mueller publicly acknowledged the cooperation between local, tribal, state, and federal public safety agencies and said the incident had affected multiple communities.
Nebel’s death left a deep mark on the Central States Fair community and on those who knew him in Rapid City and Watertown. He was remembered as a man with a large presence and an even larger heart, someone who could fix problems, offer encouragement, and make people around him feel valued. He was survived by his wife, Jennifer Miller-Nebel; his daughter, Kennedy; bonus daughters Allison Green and Skylar Green; his mother, Leanne Weelborg; brothers Keith and Rick Nebel; and many extended family members and friends. A celebration of life was scheduled at the James Kjerstad Event Center on the Central States Fairgrounds in Rapid City, with additional services planned in Watertown.
