David Dorn, a 77-year-old former St. Louis police captain, was shot and killed by looters breaking into Lee’s Pawn & Jewelry, a pawn shop on Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. in St. Louis around 2:30 Tuesday morning. Gruesome images of the shooting were sent out via Facebook Live as it was happening. Some 55 businesses were attacked and a convenience store was apparently set on fire during a terrible night in the city. Graphic video circulating on social media showed Dorn lying lifeless on the sidewalk as a disbelieving bystander shouted, “All for some TVs?”

Dorn, who joined the police in 1969, served until 2007 but was known for continuing to help out around the neighborhood where he died. Dorn’s widow said he was friends with the pawn shop’s owner and would respond when the store’s burglar alarm went off.

St. Louis County councilman Tim Fitch, former police chief of St. Louis Country, mourned the fallen officer:

You Might Like

A true public servant. Protecting & serving all the way to the end. None of us who knew you are surprised you went out fighting at Lee’s Pawn this morning. God speed my friend. #DavidDorn pic.twitter.com/i9X7q9hKIc

— Tim Fitch (@ChiefTimFitch) June 2, 2020

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that flowers and a teddy bear were set out in front of the shop Wednesday, together with a sign reading, “Y’all killed a black man because ‘they’ killed a black man??? Rest In Peace.”

The Ethical Society of Police, which represents black cops in St. Louis, described Dorn as “the type of brother that would’ve given his life to save them if he had to.”

There are no suspects yet in the killing.