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Man Charged With Murder Of Retired St. Louis Police Officer Defending Store From Looters

Courtesy of St. Louis Police Department

Shelby Talcott Senior White House Correspondent
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A suspect has been arrested and charged in relation to the death of retired St. Louis police Capt. David Dorn, police announced Sunday.

Dorn was murdered June 2 in Missouri during violent looting and riots following the death of George Floyd. Stephan Cannon, 24, was arrested and charged after an “extensive homicide investigation,” St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner said according to a statement, Fox News reported.

Cannon was charged Sunday with first-degree murder, first-degree robbery, first-degree burglary, felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of armed criminal action, the St. Louis police said Sunday.

Dorn’s widow said the retired officer was murdered amid violent protests as he was protecting a friend’s shop from looters who broke in, Fox News reported. Dorn was seen in his last moments alive on video and on a Facebook Live that has since been removed from the website, the Fox News added.

His body was found on the sidewalk in the early hours of June 2 after being shot in the torso, according to a police incident report.

“The fact that he was protecting and serving, this is the way, I feel in my heart of hearts, that he would have liked to leave this earth,” Brian Powell, Dorn’s son, previously told KMOV4. (RELATED: Here’s A Closer Look At David Dorn, Retired Police Captain Killed Defending A Store From Looting In St Louis)

The shop Dorn was protecting, Lee’s Pawn and Jewelry, was just one of 70 businesses reportedly looted Monday evening and Tuesday morning according to STL Today. Four other active officers in St. Louis were also shot, USA Today reported.

Dorn was in the St. Louis police force nearly 40 years before retiring in 2007, Fox News reported. The former officer then became chief of a small town in St. Louis County called Moline Acres.

“Our highest respect to the family of David Dorn, a Great Police Captain from St. Louis, who was viciously shot and killed by despicable looters last night. We honor our police officers, perhaps more than ever before. Thank you!” President Donald Trump tweeted June 3.