According to a news release from the Oakland County sheriff's office, 40-year-old Robert Wayne Lee frequently assumes the identity of a 15-year-old girl online to entice and expose suspected pedophiles.
He shared videos of his exploits with his Facebook and Instagram followers.
On Friday, September 29, Lee accosted two youths, ages 17 and 18, at a Pontiac eatery. According to a police news release, the man attacked the other after accusing him of being a pedophile.
According to authorities, the adolescent who was hit pulled out a knife, while the other, who is thought to be the 17-year-old, shot Lee many times with a gun.
He was rushed to the hospital, where he eventually passed away from his wounds.
The suspects ran away, but police say they were captured on Saturday, Sept. 30. Their names have not been made public by the sheriff's office.
The police stated in the statement that although Lee's "one-man crusade has led to the arrest and criminal charges being filed against several men, he has also mistakenly identified someone as a sexual predator who was not."
"While we definitely understand his desire to hold child predators accountable, many times well-intentioned people who engaged in this don't know the standard of evidence required for convictions and frequently underestimate the potential for violence confronting a suspected predator," said sheriff Michael Bouchard.
According to police, detectives plan to refer the case to prosecutors for possible prosecution.