The boy’s father had dinner with the suspected killer the night before.
The family of Cannon Hinnant will never overcome the loss of their little boy.
The 5-year-old was shot and killed last weekend by a neighbor while riding his bike in Wilson, North Carolina, according to police.
“We should not even be here,” Cannon’s grandfather, Merrill Race, told ABC News Raleigh-Durham station WTVD. “Canon was the type of child who was always polite, kind of relaxed. But he was a wonderful little kid. ”
The Cannon family said they were preparing to send him to the nursery school, which was set up this week. But instead she spent her time receiving the more than 100 cars that arrived for his funeral.
“Kanon was a loving child. He loves going to church. He lit every room he walked into. I mean, every store we went to, he would talk to a stranger, ”Auston Hinnant, Cannon’s father, told ABC News.
Hinnant said the tragedy began as a normal day.
‘They all wanted to ride their bikes and enjoy their Sunday afternoon. Just like every other Sunday. En [then] it was not 20 to 30 minutes later, ”said Hinnant.
When Hinnant heard the cannons, he said he ran his front door.
‘The first thing I saw was my son lying on the ground and it occurred to me that he might have just fallen off his bike. When I got closer to him and kicked him in my arms, I realized … how awful it was … I had to lift my son up and hold him in my arms as blood ran down my arm and everything I could do was pray to God, ”Hinnant said.
Cannon’s two sisters were there to witness the tragic event. “It has been very difficult for me for both my daughters,” Hinnant said.
The murder of the young boy has received international attention. People from all over the world have posted various hashtags related to Cannon’s death on social media to send prayers, words of encouragement and donations to his family.
Armed shooter Darius Sessoms, 25, was arrested Monday after fleeing the scene, and is now in jail without a bond against a first-degree murder charge, Wilson police said. It is unclear when his next day will be in court.
“We’ve been neighbors for eight years,” Hinnant told ABC News. ‘We just had warm neighbors, like everyone else. We would talk when we saw each other and he could cross over in a few moments and talk to me and vice versa. “
On Saturday, the day before the fatal shooting, Cannon had his father Sessoms for dinner. Hinnant told ABC News that together they shared a beer on the porch and that Sessoms’ behavior seemed fine.
But he said Sessoms also seems paranoid about an event that happened Friday night.
‘He looked like he had a lot on his mind and I chopped chicken on the grill so I invited him into my house … We are followers of God and I just told him that’ God says we’re ours neighbors must keep ‘. ‘Sei Hinnant.
The family says they intend to hold a vigil in the very near future, but now take time to mourn and heal.
“[Cannon] loved everyone, “said Hinnant,” and he would ask that we all come together in his name and try to unite this country and love one another. ”
Seniboye Tienabeso, Brendan Rand, Malka Abramoff and Bryan Keinz of ABC News contributed to this report.
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