A tragic series of events unfolded as a man intentionally hit and killed a county deputy with his car only a day after a police officer had fatally shot his teenage son. The unfortunate incidents began with 38-year-old Rodney Hinton Jr., who was charged with aggravated murder due to his actions that led to the deputy’s death, according to law enforcement officials.
Hinton’s courtroom appearance on Saturday was marked by a heavy presence of deputies. A prosecutor stated that evidence would demonstrate how Hinton deliberately targeted the deputy, intending to take his life. Consequently, the judge ruled that Hinton would remain in custody until a forthcoming hearing on Tuesday.
Hinton’s attorney emphasized in court that he had no previous felonies and was aware of the severity of the charge. Meanwhile, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine expressed his horror over what seemed to be a deliberate act of violence.
Earlier on the day of the incident, Hinton and his family gathered at the police station to watch a body camera video depicting the events that led to the shooting of his 18-year-old son, Ryan Hinton. The footage, which showed the teenage boy being shot by the officer, was too much for Rodney Hinton to bear, rendering him silent.
Attorney Michael Wright, representing Ryan Hinton’s family, conveyed that Rodney Hinton was deeply distressed and concerned. Following the deputy’s death, the family released a statement expressing their profound grief and extending condolences to the deputy’s family, describing the occurrence as a calamity for the entire community.
The deputy, who had been directing traffic at a busy intersection near the University of Cincinnati during graduation ceremonies, was struck by a car driven by Hinton. The deputy had recently retired, yet continued to serve on off-duty assignments, according to comments from Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey.
Despite his retirement, the deputy was fondly remembered by colleagues and the community, leaving a significant void in his absence. Investigations into the crash were underway to ascertain its motives.
Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich firmly stated that should the evidence confirm the intentionality of Hinton’s actions, she would ensure the law’s harshest penalties are applied.
The backdrop to this tragedy was the shooting of Ryan Hinton by police officers the previous Thursday. Officers claimed that during a confrontation following a chase, the teenager had pointed a firearm at them. This prompted a quick reaction from the officer involved.
The police presented photographic evidence of the firearms found in the teen’s possession and the vehicle. During the press briefing, video footage captured by a body camera revealed an officer declaring “he’s got a gun, he’s got a gun,” as Ryan Hinton fled.
Although the blurry images did not explicitly show the teen aiming his weapon, Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge stated that the officer involved had testified to feeling threatened by a pointed gun.
No evidence suggested that Ryan Hinton had discharged his firearm before being shot, further complicating the series of regrettable events.