Ann Marie Dorn is a sergeant with the police department. Her husband, 77-year-old David Dorn, was fatally shot on June 2 on the sidewalk outside Lee’s Pawn and Jewelry. Dorn, who was Black, was a friend of the pawn shop owner and often checked on the business when alarms went off.
She provided the following comments moments ago at the RNC.
“Dave was all about service. After 44 years he retired from all enforcement but he never retired from helping at friend in need. Since he befriended every person he met, he was a very busy man. One example with that was his friendship with a young man named Lee. David met him when Lee was just a kid after members of his family were attacked and murdered. Dave took a special interest in the boy. They bonded and their friendship grew and remained strong over the years.
“Lee eventually opened a pawn shop and trusted Dave simplicity and asked Dave to help as security. One of the shops alarms would go off, the alarm company would call Dave. He would investigate. If he got a call after I went to bed, he would wake me up and tell me he was going to Lees, just to make sure everything was alright.
“Most of the time they were false alarms. Triggered by a storm or animals. But I never rested easily until I heard Daves key turn in the door knowing he was home safe.
“The alarm that went off on the morning of June 2 it was formal. It was a violent night in St. Louis. Four officers were shot, others hit with rocks and fireworks.
“After I had gone to bed David received a call from Lee’s alarm company. The pawn shop had been breached. This time he didn’t wake me up to tell me.
“He probably knew I would’ve tried to stop him or insist on going with him. As I slept, looters were ransacking the shop. They shot and killed David in cold blood and then live-streamed him execution and his last moments on earth.
“David’s grandson was watching the video on Facebook in real time not realizing he was watching his own grandfather dying on the sidewalk.
“I learned of all this around 4 am when our doorbell rang. The Chief of Police was standing outside. I wondered why Dave had not answered the door. It was not uncommon for him to be watching TV this time. I called out to him several times there was no reply. He just wasn’t there.
“I let in the chief and fighting back tears he uttered the words every officer’s’ spouse dreads. I relive that horror in my mind every single day. My hope is that having you relive it with me now will help shake this country from this nightmare we’re witnessing in our cities and bring about positive, peaceful change.
“This isn’t a video game. Where you can commit mayhem and then hit reset and bring all the characters back to life. David is never, never coming back to me. He was murdered by people who didn’t know and just didn’t care. He would’ve done anything to help them. Violence and destruction are not legitimate forms of protests. They do not safeguard black lives, they only destroy them.
“President Trump knows we need more Davids in our community. Not fewer. We need to come together in peace and remember that every life is precious.”