Holly MatkinSt. Louis, MO – The looter accused of killing retired St. Louis Metro Police Captain David Dorn outside a pawn shop on June 2 was previously convicted of armed robbery and assault, but never served a day in prison.
After shooting the 77-year-old retired police captain multiple times, his attackers broadcast his horrific death on Facebook Live.
The accused gunman, 24-year-old Stephan Cannon, has been charged with felon in possession of a firearm, three counts of armed criminal action, first-degree burglary, first-degree robbery, and first-degree murder in connection with the killing, KSDK reported.
One of his accomplices, 27-year-old Jimmie Robinson, was arrested on charges of stealing, armed criminal action, and burglary, according to KMOV.
It wasn’t the first time Cannon allegedly participated in a brutal attack in order to rob someone, according to St. Louis County police.
In 2013, he and several other suspects attacked a man in the 1800-block of Santa Delora Walk, punching him in the face and knocking him to the ground, KSDK reported.
According to court documents, they proceeded to kick the victim repeatedly before someone in the group allegedly held a gun to the back of the victim’s head and threatened to shoot him if he refused to hand over his belongings.
The mob made off with $2 in cash and the victim’s iPhone.
Investigators ultimately traced the phone to a nearby apartment complex and arrested Cannon and at least one of his accomplices, KSDK reported.
According to court documents, Cannon, then 17, confessed to having assaulted and robbed the victim and pleaded guilty to first-degree assault and a lesser charge of second-degree robbery.
He was given a suspended execution of sentence, which resulted in him being placed on probation for five years, KSDK reported.
The sentence could have been extended to seven years in prison in the event he was found to have violated the terms of his probation.
According to court documents, a probation violation report was filed against Cannon in December of 2018, KSDK reported.
The nature of the violation has not been released.
In March of 2019, the court declined to revoke Cannon’s probation sentence, thereby allowing him to avoid prison yet again.
His sentence expired on March 28, 2019, KSDK reported.
Had the court opted to revoke Cannon’s sentence as a result of the alleged probation violation, he likely would have been in prison and the retired captain’s life would have been spared.
Cannon also racked up a misdemeanor theft charge in February, and is due back in court on that matter on June 22.
Retired Capt. Dorn, a 38-year veteran of the St. Louis Metro Police Department, was friends with the owner of Lee’s Pawn and Jewelry and often responded to the shop when the store’s burglar alarm was triggered, his widow, Ann Marie Dorn, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
According to court documents, security footage showed Cannon and multiple other suspects as they pulled up to Lee’s Pawn and Jewelry in a Pontiac G6 sometime before 2:30 a.m., KMOV reported.
The alleged gunman and his accomplices forced their way inside the business and proceeded to haul several televisions out of the building, security footage showed.
Cannon, armed with a handgun, walked over to the outside corner of the store just moments before retired Capt. Dorn arrived at the scene, according to court documents.
Cannon allegedly opened fire on retired Captain Dorn as he was approaching the pawn shop, KSDK reported.
“It is apparent from the surveillance that at the time the shots were fired, Cannon was the only person standing at that corner,” the charging documents read.
Several plumes of smoke were seen rising up from the area where the alleged gunman was standing, investigators noted.
The retired captain immediately collapsed to the ground.
According to witnesses, someone yelled into the store after the shooting and told the other looters that it was time to leave, KMOV reported.
The suspects ran outside subsequently broadcast the wounded captain’s death on Facebook Live.
Numerous social media users posted comments about having watched the horrific video, which has since been removed from the social media platform, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
“What I just witnessed on several lives has me sickened to my stomach,” former St. Louis Police Officer Marquaello Futrell wrote in a Facebook post.
“The man just was shot and killed outside of Lee’s Pawn and Jewelry,” Futrell added. “It’s one thing to be a victim of a robbery/assault but to lie in [your] own blood pleading for help and no help comes other than people standing around on FB Live recording his death. All over social media. I’m upset and can’t sleep!”
Retired Capt. Dorn’s body was discovered outside the store after the looters fled the area.
He had been shot in the torso multiple times and was pronounced dead at the scene, KSDK reported.
Security footage allegedly showed that Cannon, a driver, and one other passenger sped off in the Pontiac G6, according to KMOV.
An eyewitness identified Cannon, who later confessed that he had been inside the pawn shop on the night of retired Capt. Dorn’s murder, KSDK reported.
He said he tried to change his appearance by cutting his hair after police released security footage from the store, according to court documents.
Investigators also found one of the pawn shop’s stolen televisions inside Cannon’s home.
Capt. Dorn served SLMPD for 38 years before he retired in 2007, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
He was last assigned as the Bureau of Patrol Support deputy commander, and was tasked with overseeing the tactical unit, commercial vehicles, mounted patrol and traffic unit.
He also spent time serving as the chief of police in Moline Acres.
“David Dorn was a fine captain, many of us young officers looked up to him,” St. Louis Metro Police Chief John Hayden told KMOV.
Capt. Dorn was laid to rest on Wednesday, KSDK reported.
Sandy Malone
