Authorities say that the father of an armed 18-year-old man who was shot and killed by police the day before hit and killed a deputy sheriff in Cincinnati.
The driver “planned and purposely lined up his car, purposely sped up his car and purposely caused the death of an on-duty deputy sheriff,” said Ryan Nelson, the prosecutor, at the father’s hearing on Saturday morning.
Everyone who was there said it looked like he hit the constable on purpose to try to kill him, Nelson said.
Nelson said that prosecutors want to charge the person with aggravated murder.
Rodney Hinton Jr., 38, is the suspect. Officials say that he is the father of a man who was shot and killed by police in Cincinnati on Thursday morning. Police named the 18-year-old as Ryan Hinton on Friday night, according to CNN station WCPO.
The suspect may have had a link to the constable, but the police have not said so.
Family lawyer Michael Wright said Ryan Hinton turned 18 a few weeks ago and called him a “fun, loving, and good kid.” He also said, “The circumstances surrounding his interaction with the police there, you know, they [the family] are surprised that occurred.”
Police say Hinton Jr.’s son was armed and running away from a stolen car when an officer shot and killed him. The police body cam film doesn’t make it clear if the man who was running away pointed a gun at the officer.
The family watched the video between 10 and 11 a.m. on Friday, and Wright told the Cincinnati Enquirer that the father was “very distraught.”
Wright told CNN that he had put in a request for public records and wants more information.
Wright said, “At this point, we are still looking into how Ryan was shot and killed by the Cincinnati Police Department.” He also said that he had talked with the Chief of Police. “What happened to their son has made the family very angry and upset.”
The constable was killed around noon on Friday, according to the police.
At the arraignment in a Hamilton County courtroom full of police officers, public defender Tom Ewing said it was a “emotionally charged situation.”
And he asked for a “reasonable bond.” “I understand that there’s a lot of sadness and anger in this room right now and in the community at large,” he said.
The judge told the police to hold Hinton Jr. without bond until Tuesday, when he will be heard.
The constable was hit while guiding traffic near the University of Cincinnati, where commencement was happening, according to Theetge.
“The police officer was just doing his job on what many people thought would be a beautiful day,” Theetge said. A police statement says that the constable was taken to the university’s medical centre by responding police and firefighters and later died there.
The deputy had recently retired but “continued on in service as a special deputy,” Theetge said. The police are not naming the deputy because of an Ohio law that protects the rights of crime victims. Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio spoke out against the killing of the Hamilton County constable.
“I’ve been told about the ongoing investigation, and what looks like a planned act of violence sickens me.” “We’re sorry for the deputy’s family, friends, and coworkers’ loss,” DeWine wrote on social media.
Theetge talked about the police contact on Thursday that killed the 18-year-old in a news conference on Friday. He showed video from the officer’s body cam that showed the fatal shots.
Theetge said that the man was one of four suspects found in a stolen car in a parking lot in the East Price Hill neighbourhood of Cincinnati. When uniformed cops arrived, all four of them ran away. The 18-year-old was seen holding a gun, the chief said.
The officer shot the 18-year-old as he came out from between two dumpsters, as seen on the body cam film. On the video, you can hear another cop yelling, “He’s got a gun!” just before the shooting. He has a gun! To the right! Right there!”
Theetge says that the police officer said after the killing that the 18-year-old seemed to point the gun at him.
“He had the gun in front of him when he came out from between the dumpsters.” According to the chief, it was directed at the officer and held out like a blade. The officer felt threatened with death, which is why he fired his gun.
It is thought that the cop fired four to five shots, and two of them hit the teen, as Theetge said.
At the news conference, video from the police body cam did not clearly show the man who was running point a gun at the officer. Theetge said that the video is “unfortunately very blurry” because the body cam was “kind of jolting as the officer is running.”
Police found a weapon that they say the 18-year-old was carrying with an extended clip. He said that the gun hadn’t been shot.
The cop who fired the gun had been with the Cincinnati Police Department for more than 10 years and was part of the Special Investigations Section’s Fugitive Apprehension Squad, Theetge said.
The chief said that until other emergency workers came, the officers gave “different kinds of medical aid” to try to “save this gentleman’s life.” She supported what the officer did by pointing out how quickly things happened.
“Just so you know, it took six seconds from the time they got out of the car while police were chasing them to the time the person was shot.” Theetge said, “Six quick seconds.” He said it was “unreasonable” to expect the police to “process and decide a different course of action” in that short of time.
The shooting is still being looked into by the police homicide team.
The constable who died was loved by many and had worked hard for the people for many years, according to Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey.
“He was so well-liked and well-known that we could fill this building with the police departments that respect and love him, as well as his friends and family,” McGuffey said. “What a terrible loss we have all suffered.”
Theetge told people in Cincinnati to be patient while the city deals with two very serious events that happened over the course of two days.
“I do have a plea for everyone.” Let the steps take their course. Let the probes go their own way. “Remain calm and look out for each other, and know this: as chief of police for Cincinatti, I will make sure there is openness and a full and accurate investigation,” Theetge said.
A parade was held by the department Friday night to honour the constable, according to WLWT, a CNN station.
The boss told him, “He won’t be alone.” “Until the day he moves to higher ground, there will be someone with him.”
According to their lawyer, Wright, the family of the 18-year-old who was killed called the officer’s death a “tremendous tragedy.” They also said they were sorry for the officer’s death and sent their thoughts to his family.
“On both sides, this is a terrible tragedy.” “This police officer died, and this family lost their son,” Wright said.
Officials say that the Cincinnati Police Department is in charge of the probe into the death of the constable.