Murdered cop David Dorn's daughters slam his widow for RNC 2020 speech, say he wasn't a Trump supporter
Ann Marie Dorn, the widow of St Louis police captain David Dorn who was fatally shot during a violent protest against the killing of George Floyd in June, backed President Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention (RNC) on Thursday, August 27, saying the incumbent was working to strengthen law-enforcement agencies. She also revealed in an emotional address her experience of going through the “horror” of her husband’s tragic death everyday.
However, Ann Marie’s emotions failed to convince the deceased cop’s daughters who were also upset with her speaking at the RNC. They said while Ann Marie is a supporter of Trump, their late father was not.
“We know his wife is a Trump supporter, but he was not,” Debra White, one of the daughters who works as a quality assurance analyst, was quoted as saying by The St. Louis American. “He frequently said they were not able to talk about politics, because they were at the opposite ends of the spectrum. I know he would not want his legacy to be for his death to be used to further Trump’s law-and-order agenda.” Ann Marie said in her address that the president was using federal resources to “restore order in our communities”, clearly suggesting her support for the president’s warning against those who have backed the protests in various cities of America in the wake of the brutal killing of George Floyd in May.
David, who was 77 at the time of his murder, was shot while trying to prevent looting of Lee’s Pawn & Jewelry in downtown St. Louis, a week or so after the death of George Floyd. David worked as the captain in St. Louis’s Metropolitan Police Department between 1969 and 2007 and served as the police chief of Moline Acres in St. Louis County since February 2008.
“His passion for law enforcement ran deep. He was blue through and through, but he also was a man, a Black man, and he knew some not so good things come out of police departments. He tried to make a difference as much as he could, but he was part of a system with systematic racism,” Lisa Dorn, his other daughter who works in e-commerce, was quoted as saying by the St. Louis newspaper.
The daughters recalled their father’s love for the police work from his childhood and sharing stories about the good things he was able to carry out as a police officer. They also said that instead of arresting youth trying to steal something, David used to talk to them about getting their lives on the right track.
David Dorn was not in agreement with Trump, say his daughters
Both Debra and Lisa agreed that their father was not convinced that Trump represents the kind of police work he appreciated. “Though as a police officer he knew Trump supported police officers, he also knew that Trump said when you are arresting someone, you should go ahead and bump their heads when you are putting them in the squad car. Those are the things he opposed,” Debra said.
“The things he said about Colin Kaepernick, the kids locked up in cages, the racist remarks – these things really bothered him,” Debra said, adding: “When my father took off his police uniform, he was a Black man. As a Black man in America, he had experienced a lot of racism. He expressed that on many occasions.”
Lisa echoed her sister’s thoughts saying: “Our father did not agree with many policies and actions of this president that are aimed at disenfranchising many Black and Brown people.” She said David was a registered Democrat who thought Trump was doing many things to ruin America. They also reached out to Ann Marie asking her to avoid speaking at the convention or leave out their father if she still did. Lisa said the widow could be a supporter of Trump herself but she should refrain from using their father’s death to suit Trump’s agenda.
Ann Marie, however, went ahead with her plans and said at the event that “violence and destruction are not legitimate forms of protests” and hoped her pain will “help shake this country from the nightmare we are witnessing in our cities and bring about positive, peaceful change.”
Trump also reacted to David’s death on Twitter saying the veteran cop was “viciously shot and killed by despicable looters last night. We honor our police officers, perhaps more than ever before.”
Our highest respect to the family of David Dorn, a Great Police Captain from St. Louis, who was viciously shot and killed by despicable looters last night. We honor our police officers, perhaps more than ever before. Thank you! pic.twitter.com/0ouUpoJEQ4
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 3, 2020
Two men have been charged in the murder.