Current:Home > InvestSurpassing:Police arrest 2 in killing of 'Boopac Shakur,' vigilante who lured alleged sex predators -GrowthInsight
Surpassing:Police arrest 2 in killing of 'Boopac Shakur,' vigilante who lured alleged sex predators
Surpassing View
Date:2025-04-06 16:32:11
A man who often posed as a minor to expose alleged sexual predators to his tens of thousands of followers online was killed Friday in Michigan in a confrontation with two teenagers who've since been taken into custody,Surpassing authorities say.
Robert Wayne Lee, who had over 50,000 combined followers across Facebook and Instagram and went by the moniker "Boopac Shakur," confronted two males – ages 17 and 18 – at a restaurant in Pontiac, a city about 20 miles northwest of Detroit, around 10:30 p.m. Friday, according to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.
Lee, 40, accused one of the teens of being a pedophile and punched him. One teen took out a knife and the other, suspected to be the younger one, shot Lee several times before the pair fled the restaurant, police said.
Lee was taken to a hospital where he later died.
Teens arrested Saturday
The two suspects, believed to be from the Pontiac area, were arrested early Saturday afternoon in Pontiac, according to a news release from Oakland County Sheriff's Office.
Detectives were expected to turn the case over to prosecutors for potential charges on Sunday or Monday.
Police said Lee's running ruse, posing as a 15-year-old girl online, was at times successful, but also resulted in false accusations.
"His one-man crusade has led to the arrest and criminal charges being filed against several men," the sheriff's office said in its news release. "He has also mistakenly identified someone as a sexual predator who was not."
"While we certainly understand his desire to hold child predators accountable, many times well intentioned individuals who engaged in this don’t know the standard of evidence required for convictions and often underestimate the potential for violence confronting a suspected predator," said Oakland Sheriff Michael Bouchard. "They feel trapped and often lash out violently."
veryGood! (47368)
Related
- Kylie Jenner Shows Off Sweet Notes From Nieces Dream Kardashian & Chicago West
- Feds testing ground beef sold where dairy cows were stricken by bird flu
- US and Mexico will boost deportation flights and enforcement to crack down on illegal migration
- Lincoln’s Civil War order to block Confederate ports donated to Illinois by governor and first lady
- Romantasy reigns on spicy BookTok: Recommendations from the internet’s favorite genre
- The body of a Mississippi man will remain in state hands as police investigate his death, judge says
- Powerball winning numbers for April 29 drawing: Jackpot rises to $178 million
- The 4 officers killed in North Carolina were tough but kind and loved their jobs, friends say
- NHL in ASL returns, delivering American Sign Language analysis for Deaf community at Winter Classic
- 2024 NFL draft steals: Steelers have two picks among top 10 in best value
Ranking
- Could your smelly farts help science?
- Judge clears former Kentucky secretary of state Alison Lundergan Grimes of ethics charges
- Appalachian State 'deeply saddened' by death of starting offensive lineman
- $1.3 billion Powerball jackpot winner in Oregon revealed: I have been blessed
- Gen. Mark Milley's security detail and security clearance revoked, Pentagon says
- 2-year-old boy killed while playing in bounce house swept up by strong winds in Arizona
- Score 75% Off Old Navy, 45% Off Brooklinen, 68% Off Perricone MD Cold Plasma+ Skincare & More Deals
- Takeaways from the start of week 2 of testimony in Trump’s hush money trial
Recommendation
Elon Musk's skyrocketing net worth: He's the first person with over $400 billion
Walmart will close all of its 51 health centers in 5 states due to rising costs
US judges have rejected a map that would have given Louisiana a new majority-Black House district
Alabama lawmakers propose compromise on gambling bill with lottery, electronic wagering machines
As Trump Enters Office, a Ripe Oil and Gas Target Appears: An Alabama National Forest
Feds testing ground beef sold where dairy cows were stricken by bird flu
Organic bulk walnuts sold in natural food stores tied to dangerous E. coli outbreak
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's Vegas PDA Will Have You Feeling So High School