One 41-year-old man who has allegedly fully admitted to the murder of a young Republican teenager due to a political dispute has been officially released from jail after posting a $50,000 bond.
The man in question, Shannon Brandt, had only been inside of the Stutsman County Jail for a scant few days in the wake of his being charged with vehicular homicide and fleeing the scene of a crash resulting in a death after he allegedly struck and killed Cayler Ellingson with his vehicle this past Sunday out in Mchenry, a small town which is located just two hours away from Fargo, North Dakota. He officially posted his bond this past Tuesday.
While highlighting court documents, WDAY issued a report that stated that Brandt informed the police that the death of the teen came as the result of a political argument that took place between the pair.
“He was the one who called 911 to report the crash,” explained Capt. Bryan Niewin of the North Dakota Highway Patrol.
Brandt phoned 911 at roughly 2:30 a.m. on Sunday and explained to the dispatcher that he had run over Ellingson, stated the site while citing a criminal complaint. Brandt, who police officials report was drunk at the time, stated that Ellingson was a member of a “Republican extremist group” and was calling on a group to come and attack Brandt in the wake of a political disagreement.
“Brandt admitted to striking the pedestrian with his car because he had a political argument with the pedestrian and believed the pedestrian was calling people to come get him,” explained the court documents. “Brandt admitted to leaving the scene of the incident and returning shortly after where he called 911.”
The prosecution alleged that Ellingson called his mother just moments before his death to state that Brandt, who she knows well, was chasing after him in the wake of an event he described as a street dance. In the time it took the woman to get to the area, her son had already died in a nearby alleyway. The devastated mother explained to police that she does not think that her son even knew his killer.
“We are still trying to determine what, exactly, transpired at the time of crash and prior to that as well,” stated Niewind. “We do not know of any witnesses. We are still making attempts to interview potential witnesses from the street dance, people that were present prior to the crash happening.”
This attack took place just a scant few weeks in the wake of President Joe Biden (D) labeling the “MAGA Republicans,” or those who choose to support former President Donald Trump, as “an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic.”
“An 18 y/o conservative is murdered by 41 year old leftist & the media is totally silent,” stated a tweet from the former president’s son. “No connection to Joe Biden and his insane speech of just 2 weeks ago… it’s as though it never happened & doesn’t matter. Of course Trump would not get that benefit b/c our media is broken!”
An 18 y/o conservative is murdered by 41 year old leftist & the media is totally silent. No connection to Joe Biden and his insane speech of just 2 weeks ago… it’s as though it never happened & doesn’t matter. Of course Trump would not get that benefit b/c our media is broken!
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) September 21, 2022