Tuesday, October 3rd, 2023 

PONTIAC, Mich. - There have been numerous media reports and online posts about the death of Robert Wayne Lee, also known as “Boopac Shakur.” Some of that information is not accurate or could be misleading. We are committed to providing the public with accurate, factual information, and to correcting inaccurate information when we can do so within the bounds of our legal and ethical duties. 

Regarding Mr. Lee's death on September 29th:

Mr. Lee was shot and killed at a restaurant in Pontiac at approximately 10:30 pm on September 29th, 2023. The ages of the individuals allegedly involved are Mr. Lee, age 40, the suspected shooter, a male age 16, and another individual with the shooter, a male age 18.

Based on the information available at this time, there is no evidence that the confrontation on September 29th was a planned meeting, or that it was part of any sting operation.

No charges have been authorized yet in connection with Mr. Lee’s death, and we ask for the public’s patience.

Regarding Mr. Lee's confrontations with alleged sex offenders:

As stated above, there is no information to date that Mr. Lee’s death is tied to any sting operation. Because of speculation in that regard and questions about prior confrontations between Mr. Lee and people he identified as potential sex offenders, we are providing the following information.

Mr. Lee is known to law enforcement and the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office. He was involved in numerous instances where he posed as an underage person and identified potential sex offenders. Mr. Lee would arrange to meet with those individuals and confront them. Mr. Lee would often record and post those interactions and would sometimes bring the information he had to law enforcement.

Mr. Lee’s conduct has never been sanctioned or encouraged by law enforcement or the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office. While identifying potential sex offenders is commendable, we were concerned that such confrontations would result in violence or injury.

In addition, Mr. Lee’s methods often impeded law enforcement’s ability to conduct a proper investigation and gather evidence that would be admissible in court. That meant that some individuals Mr. Lee identified could not be charged with crimes, or that cases against them were dismissed. In two instances, Mr. Lee was investigated for and charged with crimes for destroying property of individuals who were not the target of his “sting” operations.

“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 D. 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.”

“We all share the goal of protecting children and removing child predators from our community. One of the first efforts I undertook as Sheriff was to create a unit focused on tracking child predators. However, when private citizens attempt to enter this realm, they often do not know what constitutes criminal conduct versus disgusting or disturbing conduct. It is our job to ensure that our prosecutor has cases that meet the criminal threshold and have evidence that is admissible and can help obtain convictions. We also know that when confronted predators can become violent. We have seen them ram our police cars and fight with our deputies. If anyone has information on who they believe is a predator or they think has crossed the criminal line, we encourage them to share that information with us immediately so that we can work the case to successful conclusion while ensuring operations are conducted with safety in mind,” stated Oakland County Sheriff Michael J. Bouchard.

Criminal charges are only allegations, and every individual is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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