$700K raised for 5-year-old boy allegedly killed by neighbor

AP logo
Monday, August 17, 2020
Dad says he had dinner with man who killed his son
"They can't imagine what it's like to hold your son in your arms with a gunshot wound to the head, and his blood is running down your arms."

WILSON, North Carolina -- More than $700,000 has been raised for the funeral service expenses of a slain 5-year-old boy in North Carolina whose death has captured national attention.

The donations poured into a GoFundMe page organized by Gwen Hinnant, who identifies herself on the website as Cannon Hinnant's grandmother.

"This family has faced unimaginable pain because of this senseless act of violence," the post read, "We offer our sincerest appreciation in this extremely difficult time, #justice for Cannon."

READ MORE: Father of 5-year-old killed said he had dinner with suspect night before son's death

Cannon's funeral service was held Thursday, days after the 5-year-old was fatally shot in the family's driveway as he rode his bike, news outlets reported. A neighbor, 25-year-old Darius Nathaniel Sessoms, has been charged with first-degree murder in his death.

A day before the funeral, police in North Carolina warned about false information circulating on social media about the case, including posts that resembled news releases from investigators.

SEE ALSO: 'He meant the world to me': Murdered 5-year-old boy remembered in North Carolina

"These are fraudulent posts," the Wilson Police Department said in a statement while encouraging people to report the fake Facebook posts to the social media company. The department repeated the ask on its Facebook page Saturday and told people to avoid sharing the posts.

Some have taken to social media to claim that race was a factor in Cannon's death. Cannon was white and Sessoms is Black. Cannon's father, Austin Hinnant, said he had been disturbed by these posts.

"This is no racial issue," Austin Hinnant told The Wilson Times.

RELATED: Cannon's Life Matters: Mural honors 5-year-old boy shot and killed while riding bike

Associated Press contributed to this report.

The video above is from a previous story.

Copyright © 2024 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.