Father Charged With Murder of Deputy One Day After Son's Fatal Police Shooting

A Cincinnati man has been charged with aggravated murder after allegedly using his vehicle to strike and kill a Hamilton County sheriff’s deputy just one day after his teenage son was fatally shot by police. The tragic chain of events has left two families and a community in mourning as authorities investigate both incidents.

Rodney Hinton Jr., 38, was arrested Friday and charged with intentionally striking and killing Deputy Larry Henderson, who was directing traffic near the University of Cincinnati during graduation day events. Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge confirmed a direct connection between this incident and the previous day’s police shooting, stating that Hinton was the father of 18-year-old Ryan Hinton, who had been shot by officers on Thursday, according to People.

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Prosecutor Alleges Deliberate Act

During Hinton’s arraignment in court Saturday, prosecuting attorney Ryan Nelson described the incident as “calculated and premeditated,” claiming the defendant “deliberately accelerated his car and purposely caused the death of an on-duty deputy sheriff.” The courtroom was filled with members of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department during the hearing.

“We are confident that evidence and witnesses will show that Hinton drove directly at the deputy in an attempt to kill him,” Nelson told the court. The judge ordered that Hinton be held without bond until another hearing scheduled for May 6, according to CBS News.

Previous Day’s Shooting of Suspect’s Son

The incident followed the fatal police shooting of Hinton’s 18-year-old son, Ryan Hinton, who was killed by a Cincinnati police officer Thursday morning during a response to a stolen vehicle report. According to police accounts, Ryan and three other young men fled on foot when officers approached a stolen car at an apartment complex.

Cincinnati Police Chief Theetge stated that during the pursuit, one officer shot Ryan Hinton after the teen allegedly pointed a gun at him. “We do not expect the officers to wait until they’re fired upon before they feel the necessity to fire,” Theetge explained at a news briefing, though she acknowledged that Ryan Hinton had not discharged his weapon, according to NBC News.

Family Viewed Body Camera Footage

According to attorneys representing the Hinton family, Rodney Hinton and other family members met with Cincinnati police on Friday morning to view body camera footage of his son’s shooting death. The attorneys reported that the family was “understandably distraught” while watching the video.

“After the meeting with the police department, Ryan Hinton’s father left in his own vehicle and that was the last we heard from him until learning about the tragic incident involving a law enforcement officer,” the family’s attorneys said in a statement released through The Cochran Firm. The fatal crash occurred approximately two hours after the family meeting, according to The Washington Post.

Slain Deputy Remembered

Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey identified the deceased officer as Deputy Larry Henderson, a recently retired deputy who continued to work with the department as a special deputy. McGuffey described Henderson as “incredibly wonderful and dedicated” and noted that “he was so well liked and so well known.”

Henderson was directing traffic near the University of Cincinnati as part of security for graduation ceremonies when he was struck. Emergency responders transported him to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries.

Community Mourns Dual Tragedies

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine issued a statement expressing that he was “sickened by what appears to be an intentional act of violence,” while law enforcement agencies across the state have expressed condolences to the Sheriff’s Department.

The Hinton family, through their attorneys, called the situation “an unimaginable tragedy for this community” and stated they are “heartbroken by this tragic turn of events” and “devastated for the family of the officer who was killed.”