WILSON, N.C. — On Sunday, 5-year-old Cannon Hinnant was shot and killed in his front yard in Wilson, North Carolina. Witnesses said Cannon was riding a bike outside his father's house when a neighbor walked up and shot him in the head at point-blank range.
Darrius Sessoms, 25, was charged with first-degree murder in Cannon's death and was arrested Monday in Goldsboro.
At this time, police have not released a motive for the shooting. Cannon Hinnant's mother, Bonny Waddell, told NBC affiliate WRAL she intends to seek the death penalty.
Thursday, family and community members held a funeral for Cannon. Waddell told WRAL she is distraught but believes "Cannon's gonna change this world."
“We lost a big piece of our family. We all," Waddell told WRAL. "He changed all of our lives. He touched everybody he knew."
Cannon's grandmother Gwen Hinnant set up a fundraiser for the family on GoFundMe with permission from Cannon's parents.
"He was merely doing what he would do any other day and that’s playing with his sisters, riding his bike, doing what kids do and all of the innocence that comes with being a child," Gwen Hinnant said in the GoFundMe description. "This family has faced unimaginable pain because of this senseless act of violence.
The family was hoping to raise $5,000 to help cover expenses for his services. As of 6:20 p.m. Sunday, they have raised over $734,300.
Gwen Hinnant told WRAL they hope to remember Cannon in a way he would have loved, with the help of the donations — the family is considering a memorial park for Cannon where kids can ride bikes.