October 30, 2022

USA: North Dakota Man Charged With KILLING A TEENAGER USING HIS CAR After A Political Dispute, Claiming The Boy Was Part Of A Republican “Extremist Group.” Released From Prison.

Brandt was on the phone with a 911 operator, “He wasn’t going to let me go, I hit him. I didn’t mean to and and he’s subdued,” Brandt said, according to the affidavit. “I was scared to death but he’s subdued, he can’t do anything to me now so, so this is why I’m calling you.

“I mean I…I almost oh god, I almost just runaway but I thought jeez obviously if it was a total accident I wouldn’t be scared but I know it was more than that,” Brandt said, according to the affidavit.
Townhall Media
written by Mia Cathell
Wednesday September 21, 2022

A suspected killer in North Dakota accused of mowing down an 18-year-old over the teen's alleged conservative views was quickly released from jail. Townhall was the first to report that 41-year-old Shannon Joseph Brandt, of Glenfield, was freed from a local detention facility just two days after he confessed to hitting Cayler Ellingson, 18, with his car in an apparent politically motivated attack that resulted in the victim's death.

Jail inmate records show that Brandt was let out sometime on Tuesday and the Stutsman County Correctional Center administrator confirmed to Townhall that the defendant posted a $50,000 bond yesterday. Foster County Sheriff Justin Johnson also verified that Brandt is back on the streets pending his next court appearance.

Since his swift release, Brandt began scrubbing his locked-down social media activity. Then the suspect's Facebook account was deactivated Wednesday after public comments swarmed his page.

According to the Fargo-based InForum, which broke the news of the Brandt case, the fatal hit-and-run happened early Sunday morning in the rural city of McHenry, where a community "street dance" was wrapping up.

A probable cause affidavit Townhall obtained via public records request says that Ellingson's body was found on a dirt path near the intersection of Johnston Street and Jones Avenue. Before the gruesome discovery, a drunk Brandt called 911 and admitted to a dispatcher that he struck Ellingson with his 2003 Ford Explorer, alleging that the pedestrian was "threatening" him and "calling some people to come get him," according to a call made to State Radio emergency services that were logged at approximately 2:55 a.m. that day.

Testimony from a North Dakota Highway Patrol peace officer says Brandt claimed over the phone that Ellingson was "part of a Republican extremist group," although no evidence has surfaced corroborating his allegation.

Court documents tell a different story of a desperate Ellingson reaching out to his mother at the end of his young life and begging her to rescue him. The affidavit shows that moments before the teen's death, Ellingson called his mother twice, pleading for her to come pick him up and save him from Brandt, who he said was "chasing" him. Ellingson's mom could not reach her son after the second call. When she arrived at the scene along with a first responder, Ellingson's parents found their child's body in an alleyway. While his parents knew Brandt, the teen did not, the family told authorities. The extent of the relationship is not yet known.

A criminal complaint sent to Townhall from the Foster County District Court clerk says that Brandt did not render aid to the dying victim as required by N.D. Cent. Code § 39-08-06 fled the site of the fatal hit-and-run and returned to his residence in a different city—nearby Glenfield—where he was later arrested. Brandt told a patrol sergeant at his home that he struck Ellingson with his SUV "because he had a political argument," the affidavit says. Brandt acknowledged fleeing the crime scene and not remaining there until police arrived.

According to a search warrant Townhall received, there is reason to believe that on or within the premises of Brandt's house, there's "concealed evidence or property" proving that he caused Ellingson's fatal injuries.

Brandt was taken into custody Sunday for driving under the influence and consented to a chemical breath test, in which the results were above the legal blood-alcohol limit of 0.08. He has since been charged with criminal vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of a deadly accident. If convicted of the first Class A felony, Brandt would face a maximum of 20 years in prison. The second offense, a Class B felony, against Brandt carries a penalty of up to 10 years behind bars. In addition to imprisonment, both charges carry a fine of $20,000.

The court docket says Brandt has his next court hearing on the afternoon of Oct. 11. At his first courtroom proceeding Monday via Zoom, Brandt objected to the judge ordering he be held on bond and insisted he's not a flight risk. "I have a job, a life, and a house and things I don't want to see go by the wayside—family that are very important to me," Brandt told the judge, indicating he doesn't understand the charges he's facing.

"We are still trying to determine what, exactly, transpired at the time of crash and prior to that as well," North Dakota Highway Patrol Capt. Bryan Niewind told reporters in a video aired by WDAY-TV. Niewind further explained that authorities "do not know of any witnesses" present before the incident and "are still making attempts to interview potential witnesses from the street dance." Meanwhile, state troopers say that more serious charges could be recommended against Brandt as the investigation develops, InForum reports.

Townhall requested an audio recording of Brandt's call but a strategic communications chief with the state's Department of Emergencies Services denied the inquiry after "checking" with the department's administrator. "Per law enforcement, this is still an active investigation, so I am not allowed to release records at this time," the representative said, citing a section in the state's Century Code that exempts disclosing the information.

An office manager at the state's Department of Transportation highway safety division told Townhall that an online crash report should be available in the digital system within 10 days following the incident.

A lifelong friend of the Ellingson family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for the slain teen's funeral expenses through the grieving process. As of Wednesday afternoon, the online fundraiser received an outpour of support, amassing over $22,000 in donations, which well-exceeds the initial goal that's half that. Cayler was "the heart" of his family's life before he "was taken way too soon from them," the GoFundMe page says. The tragic loss of losing a child is something "no parent should ever have to endure in their life."

Services will be held for Ellingson, from Grace City, next week on Sept. 26 in Carrington, where he just graduated high school in late May this year. Ellingson's Facebook account says he just started college in Bismarck last month, studying diagnostic medical sonography to become an ultrasound technician.

The political violence in the Upper Midwest region of America comes weeks after President Joe Biden's divisive, anti-MAGA speech in the City of Brotherly Love declared war on Republican voters nationwide. With an authoritarian-esque backdrop of blood-red lighting and flanking Marines, the Democratic U.S. president's rhetoric accused Trump supporters of harboring "anger," spreading "chaos," and living in the "shadow of lies."
MRC Newsbusters
written by Scott Whitlock
Tuesday September 27, 2022

Over 100 people gathered in McHenry, North Dakota on Monday to mourn the loss of teenager Cayler Ellingson who was murdered because his alleged killer thought he was a “Republican extremist.” But you likely wouldn’t know about the left-wing political violence if you watched ABC, CBS, NBC or MSNBC. These networks and cable channels have buried what would be a huge story if only the man who hit the teen was a conservative, a Republican, or a pro-life activist.

In contrast to these liberal outlets, Fox News Channel and Newsmax have covered all the details of the story. On Tuesday morning, Fox and Friends co-host Carley Shimkus explained:
More than 100 loved ones come together to remember the life of 18-year-old Cayler Ellingson who was laid to rest after he was run over by an SUV last week. His alleged killer, Shannon Brandt, told an 911 operator that he hit Ellington with his car because he was part of an Republican extremist group. But he is currently walking free, given no curfew and under no house arrest after posting what one prosecutor called a, quote, “very low” $50,000 bail.
FoxNews.com noted the sad statement from Ellingson’s family: “Our love for you will never go unnoticed, you will forever be on our minds, it's heartbreaking to let you go... Please watch over all of us. Until we meet again, we love you, Cayler.”

Since September 18, the morning and evening shows on the networks, as well as MSNBC have been silent on the act of political violence. CNN covered it briefly on Friday's New Day for one minute and 45 seconds. According to a search of CNN.com, the online version of the liberal cable network allowed just one story. CNN.com writer Andy Rose referenced the "specifics of the alleged argument."
Brandt told a 911 dispatcher the victim was “part of a Republican extremist group,” according to court documents. Authorities did not provide further details of Brandt’s claims nor the specifics of the alleged argument.
It’s not just TV journalists that are burying the violent attack. As NewsBusters executive editor Tim Graham observed last week:
How about our taxpayer-funded PBS and NPR? Zero coverage. The New York Times and The Washington Post had nothing.

Associated Press did a brief story, but it left out the partisan/ideological details, that Brandt said Ellingson was a Republican "extremist.” They cited the Highway Patrol saying a political argument is still unsubstantiated. They don’t want this in the “political violence” category, where it becomes fodder for national debate.
Any news that counters the media narrative of conservative, Republican extremists isn’t welcome on the networks. As I reported in June, ABC, CBS and NBC suppressed the wave of pro-abortion violence against pro-life clinics and organizations in the wake of the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

UPDATE: A previous version of this said that only CNN.com covered the story. However, the cable network itself had a story on Friday's New Day for one minute and 45 seconds.

🚨👇 NOW I'M SHARING THIS ARTICLE TO SHOW YOU
HOW THE LEFT TWISTS THE STORY 👇🚨
Remember how they referred to the rioters across America as peaceful protesters.
A teenager getting killed with a car on purpose for political reasons should be a big story.

The Jamestown Sun
written by April Baumgarten
Monday September 26, 2022

WILMINGTON, N.C. — Former President Donald Trump claimed national media outlets ignored a fatal crash in North Dakota where the driver allegedly said he hit an 18-year-old because the teenager was Republican.

Trump weighed in Friday night, Sept. 23, during a rally in Wilmington on the Sept. 18 death of Cayler Ellingson. Shannon Joseph Brandt, 41, of Glenfield, North Dakota, hit the Grace City, North Dakota, teenager with a vehicle after a street dance in McHenry, North Dakota, according to state troopers.

Brandt told the North Dakota Highway Patrol he hit Ellingson that Sunday morning because of a political argument, a criminal complaint said. Specifics of the argument were not disclosed in the complaint, but Brandt reportedly told dispatchers Ellingson was part of a Republican extremist group. Brandt claimed Ellingson called several people to come after him, the complaint said.

Ellingson's funeral was Monday. A GoFundMe account has raised about $52,000 for expenses.

Brandt’s claims have sparked criticism from well-known Republicans across the country, including questions about why the defense was charged with criminal vehicular homicide instead of murder. Both are felony charges, but murder carries a life sentence. Criminal vehicular homicide is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Some also have asked why Brandt was released on a $50,000 bond.

The Foster County State's Attorney's Office declined to comment to The Forum on why it charged Brandt with criminal vehicular homicide. A message left for Judge James Hovey, who set Brandt's bond, was not returned.

Trump pointed at journalists covering his rally in North Carolina, saying they should be ashamed of themselves for not publishing stories about the crash.

“Not one mainstream media network has even mentioned this horrible crime,” Trump said. “Think of it the other way. Supposing a MAGA person ran down somebody on the other side. It would be the biggest story you’d ever seen. It’s a disgrace.”

The Forum first reported the crash on Sept. 18, and followed up last week with details about the incident after the Foster County State’s Attorney’s Office filed criminal charges on Sept. 19. InForum first published details of the complaint on Sept. 19.

Several national media outlets, including Fox News, CNN, the Associated Press and Washington Post, picked up on the story after InForum.

The Forum also was the first to report that state troopers were skeptical the crash was politically motivated. No evidence supports Brandt’s claims about Ellingson, including that the teenager called people to go after the motorist.

Brandt made the statements when he was allegedly drunk, and it’s not uncommon for people to say things to cover up a crime, Highway Patrol Capt. Bryan Niewind said. Highway Patrol said it continues to investigate the case.

Trump said Ellingson was targeted and killed in cold blood for being a proud Republican. The former president didn’t mention Brandt by name, but he called the motorist a maniac and a “radical left, stupid person.”

The Forum has been unable to contact Brandt. His attorney, Mark Friese, declined to comment.

“At my direction, Shannon will not be answering questions or making any statement except in court proceedings,” Friese said in a statement to The Forum. “Although I would like to answer your questions, it would be inappropriate for me to make any comment now — a family and community are mourning. It is also premature to comment because I have not had an opportunity to fully investigate the background.”
Fox News Sep 21, 2022: Biden vilified half the country and leftists are acting on it: Hanson. Hoover Institution senior fellow Victor Davis Hanson reacts to deadly attack on conservative pedestrian and outburst at TPUSA event on 'Jesse Watters Primetime.'

Posted by Princess Mononoke at 8:36 PM

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