Shannon Brandt, 41, allegedly mowed down 18-year-old Cayler Ellingson on September 18 over a political dispute. Brandt accused Ellingson of being part of a Republican extremist group, so he decided to kill him. He had reportedly been drinking on the night of the assault. What sparked Brandt to commit this crime remains unknown, and now this attack, supposedly grounded in a political disagreement, has been cast in doubt by police. We know that Brandt killed Ellingson with his vehicle in McHenry, North Dakota, and in a bizarre twist—called the police on himself and later drove home.
Brandt was arrested at his residence a short time later and seemed perplexed that he was held on a $50,000 bond, noting that he should be in jail. At his arraignment, he said he had a family and a job and didn’t consider himself a flight risk—seemingly oblivious to the fact that he had killed someone. He was released two days later, even though he had confessed to killing Ellingson. In this country, being a liberal doesn’t grant you a legal shield unless you’re a Clinton, Obama, or a top donor.
Brandt initially faced charges of leaving the scene of an accident and vehicular homicide, but the latter charge was dismissed since authorities upgraded it to murder. Mr. Brandt reportedly turned himself in on Friday. His call to 911 provided cause to charge him with murder since it appeared that his striking of Ellingson was intentional, not accidental (via Fox News):
Shannon Brandt, the man who is accused of fatally hitting Cayler Ellingson with an SUV, has been charged with murder in the death of the 18-year-old, and new information alleges that the teenager was run over by an SUV.
Brandt, 41, was initially arrested after police say that he fatally hit Ellingson with an SUV during the early morning hours of September 18 after a street dance that took place at a local bar in McHenry, North Dakota. Court documents state that Brandt initially fled the scene and told a 911 operator that Ellingson was part of a "Republican extremist group," adding that the teenager was calling on others to come "get him."
[…]
North Dakota Highway Patrol Capt. Bryan Niewind told Fox News Digital that there was "no evidence" suggesting that the teenager was part of a "Republican extremist group" or that the incident involved politics.
Foster County State’s Attorney Kara Brinster announced Friday that Brandt is being charged with murder in addition to duty in an accident involving death. Brinster said that the charge of criminal vehicular homicide has been dismissed because of the new murder charge.
Brandt turned himself in on Friday at the Stutsman County Correction Center. The new charges are the result of an investigation by the North Dakota Highway Patrol, Foster County Sheriff’s Department and the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
A probable cause affidavit for the new charges states that Brandt asked the 911 operator if he was going to prison.
We’ll keep you updated.