New Jersey juvenile detention officer suspended over ‘should’ve ducked’ post about shooting death of Cannon Hinnant

New Jersey officials suspended a juvenile detention officer after he said a 5-year-old shooting victim shot dead while riding his bike “should’ve ducked.”

The offensive comment, captured in a screenshot which has spread around social media, was called “shockingly insensitive and racist in tone” by Cumberland County officials.

Five-year-old Cannon Hinnant was killed Aug. 9.

“He should’ve ducked. FOH!!! Y’all always trying to sneak diss and discredit a black person being killed innocently by police. Blame cannon’s parents for not watching him!!! F Y’ALL,” the post said.

Darrius Sessoms, 25, has since been arrested and charged with murder, authorities said. Witnesses said he walked up to the boy, who was riding his bike, and shot him in the head.

The motive for the killing remains unclear. Some on social media claim the motive was racisim, since Cannon was white and the shooter is black.

But Cannon’s mother denies racism was the reason for the murder. “This is not a race issue,” Bonny Waddell told WNCN News. “This was a — I don’t even know what it was.”

Authorities did not identify the suspended officer over his insensitive remark. However, the screenshot and local reports identified him as Rome Smith, an officer with Cumberland County’s juvenile detention unit, according to NJ.com.

Smith has since disabled all his social media accounts, NBC News reported.

“We will not tolerate County employees using social media to broadcast hateful messages,” Cumberland County Freeholder Director Joseph Derella said in a statement. “This is not who we are and we intend to pursue the strongest action available to us.”

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