Members of the public who were shocked by the sudden death of a 5-year-old boy from North Carolina last weekend contributed more than $ 560,000 to the child’s family in less than a week, according to a report.
Young gunman Hinnant died after being fatally hit in the head on Sunday afternoon while riding his bike in Wilson, NC, authorities said. A neighbor, Darrius Sessoms, 25, was arrested Monday and charged with murder in the case, they said.
The shooting party mystified the family because Cannon’s father, Austin Hinnant, said he was friendly with the suspect and even checked on Sessoms’ elderly parents, Raleigh News & Observer reported.
NORTH CAROLINA BOY CANNON HINNANT, 5, DECIDED TO REMAIN AFTER SENSELESS MURDERER: YOU ‘CANNOT UNDERSTAND THAT IT LIKES’
“I have no idea why he did what he did,” the father said of the suspect. ‘It was literally out of nowhere. He throws a gun at my son’s head and shoots him. ‘
Cannon Hinnant, 5. (Hinnant family)
It was the father who ran to the gunfire with the help of Cannon, but it was too late, the newspaper reported.
Although Sessoms is black and the Hinnant family is White, Austin Hinnant said he did not discover race-related disputes in their relationship, the Wilson Times reported.
Sessoms ‘parents, Garland and Carolyn, claimed that their son’ Sunday ‘was not himself’ and that drug-related hallucinations may have led to the shooting, the Times reported. Police have not provided any suspicious motive in the case.
On Wednesday, Cannon’s grandmother, Gwen Hinnant, launched a crowdsourcing page for the family, which has promised support from nearly 16,000 donors since early Saturday.
The page had an initial goal of $ 5,000, but that goal has been far exceeded.
“This family is facing immeasurable pain because of this senseless act of violence,” Gwen Hinnant wrote in a message on the page. They claimed that young Cannon did not bother anyone, just “do what he would do every other day.”
Family members said Cannon enjoyed riding his bike and spending time with his two sisters, Goldboro, NC WNCN-TV reported.
“Just a child who has fun in his own garden and that something happens. It’s despicable, ”Merrill Race, the boy’s great-grandfather, told the station.
Darius Sessoms was arrested in connection with the shooting death of Cannon Hinnant, authorities say. (Wilson Police Department)
Hundreds of people gathered Thursday at a funeral in Wilson on Thursday to mourn Cannon’s family – but a placement for a community plan for Friday night was postponed at the family’s request because they wanted more private time to heal, WNCN reported .
A meeting of one kind or another can be scheduled in about two weeks, the report said.
Despite the cancellation, dozens of people gathered outside the Wilson County Courthouse, according to WNCN.
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“I do not know the family, but I want to tell the family that we love you,” a local pastor told a reporter. “We pray for you and we stand with you.”
Other attendees traveled from Greenville and Raleigh to be there, the report said.
Cannon was buried Friday morning after Thursday’s funeral, according to the station.
Wilson is a town of about 49,000 residents along Interstate 95, which runs north and south. Raleigh is about 50 miles to the west along Highway 264 and Greenville is about 36 miles to the east.
