Robert Lee (FOX 2)
PONTIAC, Mich. (FOX 2) - The Oakland County Sheriff said a man known to expose child predators who was killed late last week was not murdered during an alleged confrontation.
In a press release sent out on Wednesday, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said he wanted to put an end to information that "is not accurate or could be misleading" as it related to the murder of 40-year-old Robert Lee - aka Boopac Shakur.
Lee was killed in Pontiac around 10:30 p.m. late on Friday, Sept. 29 at Universal Coney Island on Perry Street. At the time, investigators said Lee had confronted two men sitting at a table and accused one of them of being a pedophile before punching him. The sheriff said one man pulled out a knife while the other man pulled a gun, shooting him multiple times.
"There were 2 people at the table, 1 he was mostly focused on and talking too and became heated with was not the individual who shot him - it was the other person on the opposite side of the table," said Bouchard.
This week, Bouchard said there was no information so far that leads them to believe that Lee's murder is tied to any sting operation. Bouchard said that Lee is known to law enforcement and has been involved in numerous instances where he has posed as a minor to identify potential sex offenders. He would then set up an in-person meeting where he would confront them while recording the interaction before taking the evidence to law enforcement.
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Pontiac man known for pursuing sexual predators shot and killed
The Oakland County Sheriff's Office says Lee was at Universal Coney Island on Perry Street around 10:30 p.m. Investigators say he confronted two men sitting at a table; accusing one of them of being a pedophile and punching him.
Bouchard said that he understood Lee's desire to identify offenders but was concerned that such an action could result in violence. Additionally, Bouchard said that some evidence collected would not be admissible in court as it was not collected by police. In two instances, Lee was investigated for and charged with crimes for destroying property of individuals who were not the target of his "sting" operations, Bouchard said.
"My office is committed to a thorough review of all available information, and to holding those who commit violent crime and those who target children accountable," stated Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald. "It is important for the public to have accurate information and to avoid drawing conclusions about the individuals involved until an investigation is complete."
Neither the sheriff or the prosecutor offered a motive for the murder.
The suspected shooter, a 16-year-old boy, was arrested and is being held in the Oakland County Jail. He has not yet been identified.
Lee was involved with Dad's Against Predators (D.A.P.) who was first introduced on FOX 2 through a sting operation led to charges against an Oakland County Sheriff's Deputy who has since been fired. FOX 2 also covered a sting operation in March 2023 that Lee and D.A.P. were involved with in Harrison Township.
Lee was known on social media as "Boopac Shakur" with 11,000 followers on his Facebook page. He would pose as a 15-year-old girl online to expose child predators. His one-man crusade has led to the arrest and criminal charges being filed against several men. OCSO says he has also mistakenly identified someone as a sexual predator who was not.