Father recounts heartbreaking slaying of Wilson 5-year-old

Austin Hinnant talks about the life and death of his son, Cannon, who was shot to death while riding his bike on Sunday.
Posted 8/13/2020, 10:29:36 PM

RIGHT NOW ON WRAL NEWS AT 6:00

P.M.

>> THIS IS WRAL NEWS . YOUR

NUMBER ONE SOURCE FOR LOCAL

NEWS.

>> THE STORY OF A 5-YEAR-OLD

SHOT AND KILLED IN HIS FATHER'S

FRONT YARD, CANNON HINNANT COME

HAS REACHED BEYOND THE

COMMUNITY . ANOTHER PIECE OF

THE STORY STRAIGHT FROM THE

FATHER.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US

TONIGHT.

I AM DEBRA MORGAN.

>> AND I AM DAVID CRABTREE.

WHEN SSA IN A SEAN SUND AND

WRAL'S BRYAN MIMS SPOKE WITH

THE FATHER ABOUT THE LIFE-

CHANGING MINUTES AND JOINS US

TO SHARE THE CONVERSATION.

>> Reporter: I AM OUTSIDE THE

FUNERAL HOME WHERE THE FUNERAL

WILL TAKE PLACE IN ONE HOUR. IT

WAS A TOUGH CONVERSATION TO

HAVE BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENED IS

SO BEYOND EXPLANATION BECAUSE A

5-YEAR-OLD BOY IS THE VERY FACE

OF INNOCENCE.

>> Reporter: CANNON HINNANT

HAD GONE TO CHURCH THAT MORNING

. AND HE JUST LOVED TO RIDE HIS

BIKE ON ARCHERS ROAD.

HIS FATHER AUSTIN HINNANT WAS

INSIDE WHEN HE HEARD THE

GUNSHOT .

>> I JUST SCOOPED HIM UP IN MY

ARMS AND HELD HIM AND I SCREAMED

, SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP ME TO

SAVE MY SON.

>> Reporter: HE SAW HIS

NEIGHBOR IN THE YARD NEXT DOOR

WITH THE GUN IN HAND.

>> I WAS LOOKING AT HIM BUT I

COULDN'T LEAVE MY SON. I JUST

WANTED TO BE WITH MY SON.

>> Reporter: HIS FIANCEE CALLED

911 AND SAID HIS NEIGHBOR

DARIUS SESSOMS DROVE AWAY. HE

IS CHARGED WITH MURDER.

>> Reporter: CAN YOU EXPLAIN

WHY HE WOULD SHOOT YOUR 5-YEAR-

OLD?

>> I HAVE NO IDEA WHY HE WOULD

KILL MY SON IN FRONT OF THE

SISTERS. NO IDEA.

>> Reporter: TRESTAN EBNER FOR

AUSTIN HINNANT SAID HE HAD

DARIUS SESSOMS OVER FOR SUPPER.

>> THERE WAS NEVER ANYTHING

BETWEEN US. FOR HIM TO HAVE A

REASON TO DO THIS.

>> Reporter: THE LAST MOMENTS

WITH CANNON UNIMAGINABLE .

>> YOU CANNOT IMAGINE WHAT IT

IS LIKE TO HOLD YOUR SON AS HE

IS SUFFERING FROM A GUNSHOT

WOUND TO THE HEAD.

>> Reporter: THEY HAD LIVED

NEXT DOOR TO EACH OTHER FOR

EIGHT YEARS.

HE SAID HE NEVER HAD ANY

CONFRONTATION WITH HIM.

I DID CALL WILSON POLICE TODAY.

THE SPOKESMAN TOLD ME HE DID

NOT HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT A

MOTIVE.

A CROWD GATHERS HERE TO SAY

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