Authorities in St. Louis, Missouri have released surveillance footage of seven possible suspects in relation to the killing of one of the department’s retired captains.
Captain David Dorn, 77, was found dead early on Tuesday by St. Louis police outside Lee’s Pawn and Jewelry store while he was offering assistance in protecting the city from looters during a George Floyd protest, authorities said.
The video released on Friday by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) is from inside Lee’s Pawn and Jewelry store that day and shows seven black men crawling one after another beneath a security gate into the jewelry store.
At least two of the looters can be seen in the footage armed with a handgun.
Police said in the caption of the video on Facebook all seven people are “persons of interest” in Dorn’s killing.
Anyone that can provide a tip that helps detectives lead to an arrest of a suspect(s) can be received an award by CrimeStoppers of up to $45,000, police said.
“David Dorn was a fine captain, many of us young officers looked up to him,” St. Louis Police Chief John Hayden said.
Dorn spent 38 years with the police department, according to a report by news outlet KMOV. Hayden said Dorn was murdered while “exercising law enforcement.”
The Ethical Society of Police of St. Louis said that Dorn’s wife, Ann, currently works for the police department. Ann told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that her husband was a friend of the owner of Lee’s Pawn and Jewelry store and worked for him.
“He was murdered by looters at a pawn shop. He was the type of brother that would’ve given his life to save them if he had to. Violence is not the answer, whether it’s a citizen or officer,” the Ethical Society wrote.
The looting occurred amid violent protests, riots, vandalism, and arson in the city in the wake of Floyd’s death in Minneapolis police custody last week. Floyd died after an officer was recorded holding a knee on his neck during an arrest.
Meanwhile, local officials said that Dorn’s shooting death was captured in a Facebook Live video.
“I just seen a man die on live man! Smh,” state Rep. Rasheen Aldridge said on Facebook, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, referring to Dorn’s shooting death. “Very traumatized right now.”
A Facebook spokesman, Andy Stone, stated that he was attempting to track down more information about the video.
One Facebook user wrote: “What I just witnessed on several lives has me sickened to my stomach. The man just was shot and killed outside of Lee’s Pawn and Jewelry has me sick to my stomach. It’s one thing to be a victim of a robbery/assault but to lie in you 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!”
Four St. Louis police officers were shot during protests downtown the same day Dorn was killed, authorities said.
SLMPD officials urge anyone with information to contact the Homicide Division directly at 314-444-5371, or anyone with a tip who wants to remain anonymous and is interested in a reward can contact CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS (8477).
Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
