A father murdered a sheriff's deputy 24 hours after police shot and killed his 18-year-old son: Here's everything we know.
Rodney L. Hinton, 38, was denied bond during a charged and emotional hearing where he pleaded not guilty to the aggravated murder of Hamilton County Special Deputy Larry Henderson, per NBC News.
Prosecutors and police officials have described the act as deliberate and connected to the previous day’s police shooting of Hinton’s teenage son, Ryan Hinton.
The courtroom was filled with more than 50 police officers and at least three dozen family members and protesters, many of them there to support either law enforcement or the grieving Hinton family.
Before Hinton could even enter a plea, the tension in the room exploded.
"That's my brother, that's my brother," one man yelled from the gallery—later identified as Hinton’s sibling. Deputies quickly escorted Hinton out of the room as Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge Tyrone Yates urged calm.
"Everybody, be calm. We’re going to get through this," Judge Yates told the crowd as order was slowly restored.
The emotional turmoil stems from a deadly 48-hour period in Cincinnati that began on Thursday, May 1, when Ryan Hinton, 18, was shot and killed by a Cincinnati police officer during a foot chase linked to a stolen vehicle, per BBC News.
Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge confirmed the teen was armed and appeared to point a weapon at officers before being fatally struck.
"Let me be very direct: We cannot allow individuals to flee from officers with a loaded firearm aimed at them," Theetge said. "When this happens, the outcome is almost always tragic. No one wins, and everyone involved is affected."
Police fatally shoot Ryan HintonBody camera footage shows officers approaching a group of teens in a stolen vehicle. As they fled, Ryan Hinton allegedly pulled a gun while running, per CNN.
"He’s got a gun! He’s got a gun! On your right! On your right!" one officer is heard shouting before discharging his weapon. Police recovered a firearm at the scene, which had not been fired, but the footage is reportedly "a very blurred image," according to Theetge.
“It was like his soul wasn’t even in his body”
The following day, around 1:00PM Friday, Hinton allegedly drove through an intersection near the University of Cincinnati, where graduation festivities were underway.
Deputy Henderson was directing traffic when Hinton’s car accelerated rapidly, fatally striking him and crashing into a utility pole, per WCPO.
“The officer was just out doing his job … for what was supposed to be a glorious day for many,” Chief Theetge said.
According to Officer Carl Beebe, Hinton had viewed the body cam footage of his son’s shooting just hours earlier and was visibly shaken.
“He actually left the parking lot, followed by some family members and another car, and then a few minutes later returned to the parking lot ... drove through the parking lot and left the parking lot again,” Beebe testified.
He then "accelerated quickly ... through the intersection where deputy Henderson was standing," Beebe said.
The deputy was "launched several feet through the air" and landed in a turn lane.
“It appeared from everybody who was on the scene that he deliberately struck the deputy in an attempt to kill him,” said prosecuting attorney Ryan Nelson.
“The driver 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.”
Hinton’s attorney, Clyde Bennett, argued that his client was emotionally unstable and needed mental health care, not to be treated as a cop killer.
"I don't think he was a cop killer, I think he was not in his right mind and I think he should be treated like any other mentally ill person that commits a crime," Bennett said.
The state disagreed, citing Hinton as "a giant mental health question mark" and a danger to law enforcement and the public. They also referenced past legal issues, including domestic violence and assault convictions.
In court, Hinton appeared agitated and was seen fidgeting. His attorney tried to calm him, rubbing his shoulders and whispering, “calm down.”
Theresa Larkin, Ryan Hinton’s aunt, said she immediately noticed something was off about Rodney Hinton the morning of the deputy’s death.
“I’ve known Rodney since I was 15 years old. That wasn’t the Rodney that I knew. It was like his soul wasn’t even in his body," she said tearfully.
“And I can only imagine what he felt when he saw that video," she added. “Because when I finally seen it, and I watched that video from the beginning to the end and watched my nephew drop, it was like my soul left my body. So I can only imagine how his father felt.”
Despite the horrific crash, Larkin insisted she came to the courthouse to support Rodney—and to speak out for her nephew.
"Because we’re gonna get justice for Ryan, because what they did to him was not right," she said. "My nephew’s name don’t get swept underneath the rug because of this."
Attorney Michael Wright, representing the Hinton family, added: “The circumstances surrounding his interaction with the police there, you know, they [the family] are surprised that occurred.”
“The family’s pretty upset, pretty distraught about what happened to their son,” Wright said. He confirmed that the family had viewed the body cam footage between 10:00AM and 11:00AM on Friday, shortly before the fatal collision.
Deputy Henderson had recently retired but continued to serve as a special deputy. Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey described him as beloved by many.
“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,” she said. “What a tremendous loss we have all suffered.”
A solemn procession was held Friday night in his honor, with McGuffey vowing: “He will not be alone. There will be someone with him until the day that he transitions to higher ground.”
Even Ohio Governor Mike DeWine weighed in, condemning the incident as “an intentional act of violence” and offering “sincere condolences to the deputy’s family, friends and colleagues.”