Michigan Vigilante Known for Outing Pedophiles on Social Media Was Killed During a Confrontation

Robert Lee. Photo/WXYZ Detroit

A 40-year-old man from Pontiac, Michigan, named Robert Wayne, who referred to himself as "Boopac Shakur," known for finding and outing pedophiles and sexual predators online, was shot and killed during a dispute. According to NBC News, "Lee was in a restaurant in Pontiac around 10:30 p.m. Friday when he confronted two people at a table. The sheriff's office said Lee had accused one of the people, an 18-year-old man, of being a pedophile. The confrontation "rapidly escalated," and one of the people fired a pistol, the sheriff's office said in a news release."

According to WXYZ of Detroit, Robert's mother, Jackie Lee, was worried about her son's safety while he worked as a vigilante in Pontiac; she stated, "He felt that this was his calling. He was going to do this no matter what. My fear was getting the call that I got the other night." WXYZ reported that while Robert was ordering food at Universal Coney Island restaurant, he saw two teens, one with whom he had a previous physical encounter. Then, according to witnesses, "The man reportedly responded by pulling out a knife. The second man then produced a gun and opened fire, shooting and killing Robert Lee." The news outlet said the suspects have been arrested. The gunman is reportedly a minor; he's 17. The other suspect is allegedly 18.

NBC News reports that "He would pose as a 15-year-old girl to lure potential predators and get them arrested — a tactic officials considered dangerous, the Oakland County Sheriff's Office said. He amassed a large following on different social media platforms. In an interview with WXYZ, Lee stated, "I talk to a lot of victims, and they appreciate what I do." It's rumored that he assisted local authorities with solving over one hundred cases. He even forwarded text conversations to the police and sometimes confronted alleged predators himself, according to WXYZ. According to NBC, "One case the sheriff’s office said Lee was involved in was the firing of deputy Jared Salisbury last year. Salisbury worked at the Oakland County Jail and was fired after trying to meet up with a 15-year-old girl for sex, NBC affiliate WDIV of Detroit reported. He was charged with accosting a child for immoral purposes. His pretrial conference is set for Oct. 23.

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