North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum Condemns Killing of Republican Teen Cayler Ellingson

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Sep 22, 2022   |   8:59AM   |   Bismarck, North Dakota

In the wake of a brutal killing of a Republican teenager, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum has condemned the political motivated homicide.

As LifeNews reported, on Sunday morning, 41-year-old Shannon Brandt ran over Cayler Ellingson with his car following a political dispute in their small North Dakota town. Brandt admitted that he killed Ellingson because of his conservative views.

According to police, Ellingson called his mom to come help him as Brandt, who was reportedly drunk at the time, followed him with his vehicle after a street dance ended. But by the time she arrived on the scene, he was dead. Brandt called police on himself after the incident and reported that he had killed Ellington. Court papers indicate that Brandt thought Ellison was calling for backup to go after him rather than ask to be rescued.

Brandt called 911 around 2:30 a.m. Sunday and told the 911 dispatcher that he just hit Ellingson, claiming the teen was part of a Republican extremist group and was calling people to come get Brandt after a political argument.

Americans across the country are outraged by the killing and upset that Brandt has already been released on bail for a murder he admitted committing. Burgum agreed and condemned the shooting and offered prayers of support for Ellingson’s family.

“Tonight we pray for the family of Cayler Ellingson in the aftermath of their tragic and unnecessary loss,” he said in a post on Twitter. “Violence is never the answer to disagreements of any kind, including political, and those who perpetrate it must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

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In the aftermath of the killing, Brandt asked for no bail, saying he has family and a job in town and is 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, according to InForum.

Brandt has already been released on a $50,000 bail. He posted his $50,000 and was released, according to county jail records.

If convicted, Brandt could face a minimum of 10 years in prison.

Ellingson’s mom told police her son called her just before the crash, asking if she knew Brandt, which she does. She does not believe her son knew him. Police say Brandt was drunk when he hit and killed Ellingson with his SUV in an alleyway.

A gofundme has been set up to help pay for Ellingson’s funeral expenses.

“I would like to set a goal to help Sheri, Cole (husband) and Chase (second son) with Funeral expenses and anything to help them through this whole grieving process,’ reads the GoFundMe account. ‘Please lend a helping hand to help this family in such a huge and tragic loss of Cayler.”

One conservative web site blames Joe Biden’s rhetoric against conservatives for the attack.

Shannon Brandt, 41, mowed down 18-year-old Cayler Ellingson early Sunday morning over what he later claimed was a “political argument” over whether “the teen was part of a Republican extremist group.” That language strongly resembles the description used by Biden just a few weeks ago to describe Trump and “MAGA Republicans” as being “a threat to the very soul of this country.” In that speech, Biden claimed it was Republicans who had “blind loyalty to a single leader and a willingness to engage in political violence”

Despite recently claiming that combatting political violence and domestic extremism is a top priority for the agency, the FBI avoided answering The Federalist’s questions about whether it plans to investigate the motives for the alleged homicide. Instead, the FBI suggested The Federalist contact “local authorities” for more information about the crime.

The homicide comes as pro-life groups, pregnancy centers and churches have been subject to a rash of pro-abortion violence.