Cannon Hinnant was riding his bike Sunday outside his father’s house in Wilson when a man ran up to him and shot him in the head, witnesses told police.
When he saw his son, he rocked him in his arms and pleaded for help. “I cried, ‘One, please help me save my son! Help me save my son, please,'” he said.
At the time, the suspect – his neighbor, Darius Sessoms – was in the yard next door with a gun in his hand, pacing and shaking, Hinnant said. He described being furious when he saw the suspect – but he could not leave Cannon’s side.
“[You] “I can not imagine what it is like to hold your son in your arms with a gun to his head, and his blood runs down your arms,” he said.
Kanon was with his sisters ages 7 and 8 when the shooting happened. “They just play in the garden like every other day,” Hinnant said.
The victim’s father had suspected food a day earlier
Sessoms, 25, had lived next door to her for eight years and the families came along, Hinnant told the branch.
Hinnant had the suspect a day before shooting over food, and both men sat on his porch and drank beer, he said.
“There was nothing between me and him, no evil blood, that he had a reason to do this,” Hinnant said.
Police have not released any information about a motive. Hinnant said he does not know why his son was killed.
After the shooting, Hinnant’s fiancé called 911 when a neighbor yelled at an EMT bag to help. Sometimes driving away, he said.
Police arrived on the scene and Cannon was transported to the hospital.
Sessoms was arrested Monday at a Goldsboro residence about 30 minutes south of Wilson. He is accused of first-degree murder and is being held without restraint. It is unclear if he has a lawyer.
Cannon was laid to rest Thursday.
CNN’s Raja Rajek contributed to this report.
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