[Guns N' Coffee]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...tor-pedophile/

A self-styled online pedophile catcher was killed over the weekend in Michigan when he was gunned down following a confrontation with a man he accused of being a sexual predator, authorities said.

Robert Wayne Lee, 40, went by “Boopac Shakur” to his nearly 50,000 followers on social media, where he conducted extrajudicial investigations by posing online as a 15-year-old girl to lure alleged predators into meetings. After his death, Lee’s Facebook page was flooded with loving posts from fans and those who knew him. He was a hero to some in the Pontiac, Mich., area, but even though some of his encounters led to arrests, local officials said his practices put himself and others in danger.

Many people were introduced to the concept by the NBC show “To Catch a Predator,” which ran from 2004 until 2008. The show ended after one of its targets killed himself.

When the show was canceled, social media was just beginning to blossom. Some saw an open and paved lane, using the practices “To Catch a Predator” popularized. Now, some people garner large social media followings attempting to expose adults who are seeking to meet up with children.

Police have decried the practice, asking people to leave the investigations to the professionals. But that hasn’t stopped the scores of groups luring people online and then revealing themselves in real life as a fellow adult.

Experts have told The Washington Post that a recent uptick in the practice has been fueled by right-wing rhetoric about people grooming children and the need to “save the children.”

But it comes with risk. Predator catchers have caught those meaning to harm children, but some have also been shot or ruined the lives of innocent people.

Lee was just one of many whom police urged to stop hunting pedophiles online.

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard told The Oakland Press in January that Lee meant and did well — Bouchard said Lee’s videos had led to four arrests — but the sheriff advised against the practice because it could spoil a prosecution and “most importantly it can be dangerous.”

One of Lee’s successful targets was an Oakland County sheriff’s deputy working in the county jail, according to The Press. The deputy was charged with one count of accosting a child for immoral purposes.

After Lee’s death, Bouchard maintained his stance that the activities were, on balance, not helpful.

“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,” Bouchard said in a news release Saturday.

Lee approached two young men at a restaurant about 10:30 p.m. Friday, according to the news release. He accused one of the men of being a pedophile and punched him, prompting the man to pull out a knife, officials said. The other man pulled out a pistol and shot Lee several times, officials said.

Police said the duo ran and Lee was taken to a hospital, where he died.

The Pontiac pair, one age 17 and the other age 18, were arrested Saturday but have not been publicly identified by police. The sheriff’s office said investigators believe the 17-year-old was the shooter.

A GoFundMe to raise money for Lee’s daughter says he “successfully exposed” 132 predators.

“Robert dedicated his life to protecting the innocence of our children from those with malicious intentions,” the GoFundMe page says.

[GrimWitted]

I like to watch this format of video on YouTube. Low-budget TCAP. I always wondered when this would happen to one of these guys. Unfortunate, but you gotta be READY to meet up with someone who could have no other intentions than to murder a little girl that day.

[Meridian]

So he posed as a 15 year old girl and set up a sting to expose the 17 year old boy who was talking to her, called him a paedo and ended up getting shot dead.

If anything, a 40 year old man meeting up with a 17 year old lad is more dodgy.

*sideeye*

[mothmon]

Fucked around and found out... with his glory-seeking social media. I'm not a fan of these amateur Catch A Predator types (or even the ones that had network TV shows). Their tactics of entrapment are sleazy and very questionable at times and they cater to the worst types of fanbase. Leave it to the pros.

[condor5]

Originally Posted by Guns N' Coffee ↗

https://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...tor-pedophile/

A self-styled online pedophile catcher was killed over the weekend in Michigan when he was gunned down following a confrontation with a man he accused of being a sexual predator, authorities said.

Robert Wayne Lee, 40, went by “Boopac Shakur” to his nearly 50,000 followers on social media, where he conducted extrajudicial investigations by posing online as a 15-year-old girl to lure alleged predators into meetings. After his death, Lee’s Facebook page was flooded with loving posts from fans and those who knew him. He was a hero to some in the Pontiac, Mich., area, but even though some of his encounters led to arrests, local officials said his practices put himself and others in danger.

Many people were introduced to the concept by the NBC show “To Catch a Predator,” which ran from 2004 until 2008. The show ended after one of its targets killed himself.

When the show was canceled, social media was just beginning to blossom. Some saw an open and paved lane, using the practices “To Catch a Predator” popularized. Now, some people garner large social media followings attempting to expose adults who are seeking to meet up with children.

Police have decried the practice, asking people to leave the investigations to the professionals. But that hasn’t stopped the scores of groups luring people online and then revealing themselves in real life as a fellow adult.

Experts have told The Washington Post that a recent uptick in the practice has been fueled by right-wing rhetoric about people grooming children and the need to “save the children.”

But it comes with risk. Predator catchers have caught those meaning to harm children, but some have also been shot or ruined the lives of innocent people.

Lee was just one of many whom police urged to stop hunting pedophiles online.

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard told The Oakland Press in January that Lee meant and did well — Bouchard said Lee’s videos had led to four arrests — but the sheriff advised against the practice because it could spoil a prosecution and “most importantly it can be dangerous.”

One of Lee’s successful targets was an Oakland County sheriff’s deputy working in the county jail, according to The Press. The deputy was charged with one count of accosting a child for immoral purposes.

After Lee’s death, Bouchard maintained his stance that the activities were, on balance, not helpful.

“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,” Bouchard said in a news release Saturday.

Lee approached two young men at a restaurant about 10:30 p.m. Friday, according to the news release. He accused one of the men of being a pedophile and punched him, prompting the man to pull out a knife, officials said. The other man pulled out a pistol and shot Lee several times, officials said.

Police said the duo ran and Lee was taken to a hospital, where he died.

The Pontiac pair, one age 17 and the other age 18, were arrested Saturday but have not been publicly identified by police. The sheriff’s office said investigators believe the 17-year-old was the shooter.

A GoFundMe to raise money for Lee’s daughter says he “successfully exposed” 132 predators.

“Robert dedicated his life to protecting the innocence of our children from those with malicious intentions,” the GoFundMe page says.

Fuck them, just kill them. When they start turning up dead, they'll start keeping them in prison. All nonces should die slowly, violently and excruciatingly.