The city of Cincinnati is looking for answers after two high-profile killings on consecutive days – killings officials say are connected.
On Thursday, city police fatally shot an armed 18-year-old as he ran from them, and the next day long-serving sheriff’s deputy Larry Henderson was hit and killed by a car that authorities say was driven by the young man’s grieving father.
The father, 38-year-old Rodney Hinton Jr., is charged with aggravated murder, but neither police nor an attorney representing his family have disclosed any motivation behind his alleged targeting of the deputy.
Questions also remain in the police shooting death of 18-year-old Ryan Hinton. The Cincinnati Police Department says he appeared to point a gun at an officer while fleeing Thursday, but the officer’s body camera footage does not clearly capture the moment.
Amid the investigations into both deaths, law enforcement lined up Friday night to hold a procession for the fallen sheriff’s deputy.
Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey announced on Sunday that Henderson, who had been with the department for 33 years, was struck by the vehicle and “passed away a short time later.”
“Larry began his journey as a Sheriff’s Office trainer early in his career. He developed an expertise and became an excellent trainer,” McGuffey wrote in a Facebook post. “Subsequently, he trained divisions of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office that included hundreds of deputy sheriffs. His ability to relate to and touch officers’ lives was extraordinary.”
Here’s what we know about the killings of the teen at the hands of police and the deputy allegedly at the hands of his father.
‘A horrific tragedy on both sides’
The family of Ryan Hinton is demanding answers about his death, which happened just weeks after he celebrated his 18th birthday, according to their attorney, Michael Wright.
Wright described the teen as a “fun, loving and good kid” and said the family was “surprised” to learn of the circumstances around his encounter with police.
The family reviewed police body camera footage on Friday morning, hours before Hinton’s father allegedly struck and killed the sheriff’s deputy. Wright told the Cincinnati Enquirer that the father was “very distraught” after seeing the footage.
“He couldn’t finish watching the video,” Wright said of Hinton’s father, according to the Enquirer.
Wright told CNN he has filed a public records request for more details.
“At this point, we are still investigating the circumstances of Ryan being shot and killed by the Cincinnati Police Department,” Wright said, adding that he has met with the city’s police chief. “The family’s pretty upset, pretty distraught about what happened to their son.”
“This is a horrific tragedy on both sides,” he added. “This family lost their son, and this police officer lost his life.”
Rodney Hinton Jr. was arraigned Saturday. Prosecutors said that he “in a way that was calculated and premeditated lined up his car, deliberately accelerated his car and purposely caused the death of an on-duty deputy sheriff.” The courtroom was packed with law enforcement officers during the arraignment.
Hinton Jr.’s public defender requested a “reasonable bond,” while acknowledging, “I understand that there’s a lot of sadness and a lot of anger in this room right now and in the community at large.”
Hinton Jr. was charged with aggravated murder and is being held without bond until a hearing on Tuesday.
‘Very blurred’ police body cam
A day earlier, Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge held a news conference to release details and officer body cam footage from the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Ryan Hinton.
The chief emphasized that just “six quick seconds” passed from the time Hinton and three others attempted to flee arrest and when the deadly shots were fired.
Officers found the four men in a stolen vehicle in a parking lot in Cincinnati’s East Price Hill neighborhood, Theetge said, and observed Hinton appearing to hold a handgun as he ran away, she said.
Body camera footage shows an officer shouting, “He’s got a gun! He’s got a gun! On your right! On your right!” Moments later, the footage shows the teen emerging from between two dumpsters, and another officer fires multiple shots.
That officer, a 10-year veteran assigned to the Fugitive Apprehension Squad, is believed to have fired four to five shots, two of which struck the boy, Theetge said.
Officers tried to “to save this gentleman’s life” by administering “different variations of medical aid” until paramedics arrived, the chief said.
The officer who shot Hinton said afterward it looked like the young man’s gun was pointed at him, according to the chief: “He (the officer) felt threatened for his life and that’s why he discharged his firearm.”
But the officer’s body camera footage does not clearly show the teen pointing the gun. Theetge acknowledged that the footage is a “very blurred image” due to the camera’s “jolting” movement during the pursuit.
Police later recovered a handgun with an extended clip they say Hinton had been carrying. The gun had not been fired, the chief said.
Friday night procession for fallen deputy
A procession was held Friday night to honor the sheriff’s deputy who died after being struck by the car that day, CNN affiliate WLWT reported.
The deputy had recently retired but continued to serve as a special deputy, officials said. He was remembered as a beloved fixture of the community who dedicated decades to public service.
“He was so well-liked and so well-known, we could fill this building with the law enforcement agencies that respect him, love him, his friends, his family,” Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey said. “What a tremendous loss we have all suffered.”
The deputy was hit by the car while he was directing traffic near the University of Cincinnati during a commencement event, according to the Cincinnati police chief.
“The officer was just out doing his job … for what was supposed to be a glorious day for many,” Theetge said.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine condemned the incident as “an intentional act of violence” and offered condolences to the deputy’s family and colleagues.
Law enforcement vehicles could be see lined up outside the coroner’s office before the procession, according to images from WLWT.
“He will not be alone,” the sheriff pledged earlier Friday. “There will be someone with him until the day that he transitions to higher ground.”
As the city mourns, Chief Theetge urged residents to remain patient as investigations into both Thursday’s and Friday’s killings continue.
“Let the processes play out. Let the investigations play out. Keep calm, take care of one another, and I can assure you… I will ensure you transparency and a thorough and accurate investigation,” the chief said.
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