Pain Turns to Chaos: Heartbroken Father of Teen Shot by Police Now Accused of Killing Deputy in Terrifying Crash
Grief Turns Violent: Father of Teen Killed by Police Now Accused of Deputy’s Death
A heartbreaking and violent chain of events has rocked the Cincinnati community. The father of an 18-year-old who was fatally shot by police during a stolen vehicle investigation has now been charged with killing a sheriff’s deputy. Police say the two tragedies are closely connected, deepening the sorrow and shock felt by both law enforcement and the public.
Rodney L. Hinton, 38, was arrested and charged with aggravated murder after allegedly hitting and killing Deputy Larry Henderson with his car on Friday afternoon. The incident took place at Martin Luther King Drive near Burnet Woods, close to the University of Cincinnati. Henderson, who had recently retired but was working as a special deputy during graduation events, was directing traffic when he was struck. He was rushed to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center but sadly did not survive.
Court documents claim Hinton deliberately drove into the deputy. The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office is now grieving the loss of one of their most beloved members.
“He was so well liked and so well known, we could fill this building with people who respected and loved him,” Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey said during a news conference. “We are so deeply saddened.”
The identity of the deputy was initially withheld due to privacy laws, but officials later confirmed his name was Larry Henderson.
A Father’s Anguish and a Deadly Encounter
The deputy’s tragic death came just one day after Hinton’s 18-year-old son, Ryan Hinton, was shot and killed by a Cincinnati police officer. Officers were responding to a report of a stolen vehicle at an apartment complex on Warsaw Avenue around 9 a.m. Thursday morning.
According to Police Chief Teresa Theetge, four people were inside the vehicle, which had allegedly been stolen earlier that morning from northern Kentucky. When police arrived, all four suspects ran in different directions. Officers chased Ryan Hinton and another person.
Body camera footage released by the department shows an officer getting out of his vehicle and pointing a gun at Ryan, who was running. The officer fired multiple shots, and Ryan collapsed. Theetge said Ryan was struck twice, once in the chest and once in the arm. One officer could be heard shouting, “Get the [expletive] down,” in the footage.
The second officer’s body camera captured him shouting warnings to other officers: “He’s got a gun! He’s got a gun on your right!” A firearm was later recovered at the scene, along with a loaded extended magazine. Another magazine was found in Ryan’s jacket pocket.
Police say the officer fired because Ryan had pointed the gun at him. Chief Theetge defended the shooting, saying officers must make life-or-death decisions in just seconds.
“We cannot allow individuals to run from police while holding a loaded firearm pointed at them,” she said. “The results are always tragic. No one wins, and everyone is affected.”
The entire incident, from the officer stepping out of the car to Ryan being shot, lasted only six seconds. Officers tried to save his life before emergency responders arrived.
From Loss to Tragedy: A Shocking Turn
On Friday, Ryan’s family, including Rodney Hinton, met with police to watch the body camera footage of the shooting. They were joined by attorneys from the Cochran Firm, who have been hired by the family to conduct a separate investigation into the shooting.
According to a spokesperson for the firm, Hinton left the meeting visibly emotional and drove away in his own vehicle. A short time later, police say, he struck Deputy Henderson in what they now believe was an intentional act.
Theetge confirmed there is a clear connection between the shooting of Ryan and the death of Deputy Henderson, though she did not provide specific details about Hinton’s state of mind or motives.
The officers involved in the fatal shooting have not been identified, but Chief Theetge said one joined the department in 2001 and the other in 2014. Both are members of the fugitive apprehension squad.
Meanwhile, two of the four suspects in the stolen vehicle case have been identified and charged. Eighteen-year-old Jurell Austin and nineteen-year-old DeAnthony Bullucks face charges of receiving stolen property and obstructing official business. The fourth suspect has not been found.
Rodney Hinton appeared in court on Saturday, where a judge ordered that he be held without bond. He is currently in custody at the Clermont County Jail. His next hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.
Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich has promised to fully pursue justice in the case, stating, “If this act was intentional, we will throw the full force of the law at him.”
In response to the deputy’s death, Attorney General Dave Yost released a statement calling it “a cruel reminder of the many officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf.”
“My deepest condolences are with this deputy’s family and the entire Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office,” Yost added.
A procession will be held in honor of Deputy Henderson in the coming days as the community mourns the devastating loss. The investigation into both incidents continues, with emotions running high and questions still unanswered.
