The distraught father of an 18-year-old shot and killed by police in Cincinnati allegedly killed a police officer with his car less than 24 hours after the death of his son.
The double killing has shocked the Ohio city amid ongoing concerns about US law enforcement’s involvement in lethal encounters with citizens.
The incident began last Thursday with the shooting death of Ryan Hinton, 18, who police said had appeared to point a gun at an officer as he fled from a stolen vehicle with three other people.
Body camera footage released by police shows an officer shouting: “He’s got a gun! He’s got a gun! On your right! On your right!”. The blurry and unclear footage then shows Hinton emerging from between two dumpsters, and another officer fires multiple shots, killing Hinton.
A gun was later recovered. It had not been fired.
When Hinton’s family viewed the footage at a meeting with police, they became distraught, especially the young man’s father.
“Ryan Hinton’s family, including Ryan’s father, was present at the meeting and they were understandably distraught as they watched the bodycam video,” a statement from the family’s lawyers said. “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 who was working a traffic detail near the University of Cincinnati.”
That incident happened on Friday afternoon when a police officer – who has not yet been named publicly – was hit by a car as he directed traffic at an intersection.
Police identified the driver of that vehicle as the teen’s 38-year-old father, Rodney Hinton. He was later charged with aggravated murder. The slain police officer was not believed to have been involved with the killing of Ryan Hinton.
“This is a horrific tragedy on both sides … This family lost their son, and this police officer lost his life,” Michael Wright, the Hinton family attorney, told the Cincinnati Enquirer.
