Cannon Hinnant: ‘I want the death penalty,’ mother says about suspect accused in 5-year-old’s fatal shooting

WILSON, N.C. — Bonny Waddell doesn’t understand why her son Cannon Hinnant was shot in the head while he was riding his bicycle but is hopeful the suspect will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

“I want death penalty and I’m gonna seek it,” Waddell told WRAL.

Longtime neighbor Darius Nathaniel Sessoms, 25, is accused of walking up to Cannon and shooting the boy in the head while he was riding a bicycle Aug. 9, investigators said. Sessoms was arrested last Monday and charged with first-degree murder. He is in jail without bond. Police have not released a motive for the shooting.

“My baby didn’t deserve this,” Waddell said. “We lost a big piece of our family. We all. He changed all of our lives. He touched everybody that he knew.”

A funeral for Cannon was Thursday. About 100 cars filled a North Carolina funeral home parking lot to honor and support the family. A vigil planned for Friday was postponed because the family said they needed time to mourn.

A GoFundMe account set up for the family has raised more than $715,000.

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