Officials have released the identity of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Deputy who was killed in an alleged vehicular homicide by the father of Ryan Hinton in Clifton on Friday.
According to the Hamilton County Coroner, the fallen deputy has been identified as Larry Henderson, 57. Henderson had recently retired from the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office after 33 years of service, according to Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey.
Connecting events
Authorities say Henderson was struck by a driver around 1 p.m. Friday while directing traffic along Martin Luther King Drive and Burnet Woods Drive; he was working a special detail for UC’s graduation ceremony. Henderson was rushed to nearby UC Medical Center in critical condition, where he was pronounced dead soon after.
According to CPD Chief Teresa Theetge, the driver of the vehicle that struck and killed Henderson is Rodney Hinton Jr., 38, the father of Ryan Hinton, the 18-year-old male who was shot and killed by a Cincinnati Police officer on Thursday. Hinton was also transported to UC Medical following Friday’s crash, where he was arrested and charged with aggravated murder for Henderson’s death.
Read more about the shooting of Ryan Hinton here.
Related
Blurry Video, Critical Seconds: What We Know About the Fatal Shooting by an Officer in East Price Hill
Legal representatives of the Hinton family released a statement on Saturday, saying Rodney Hinton Jr. had just reviewed the body camera footage of his son’s death at the Cincinnati police headquarters before the crash. His lawyers said he was “understandably distraught” after seeing the video.
“Ryan Hinton’s family, including Ryan’s father, was present at the meeting and they were understandably distraught as they watched the bodycam video,” the statement reads. “This is an unimaginable tragedy for this community. Ryan Hinton’s family is heartbroken by this tragic turn of events and we are all devastated for the family of the officer who was killed.”
Prosecutors in court said they plan to show evidence that Rodney Hinton Jr. intentionally redirected his car “in an attempt to kill” Henderson.
Statewide reactions
Following news of Henderson’s death, Ohio’s top law enforcement official called for the law enforcement community to honor his life.
“In the coming days and weeks, law enforcement officers across Ohio and the nation will solemnly gather to honor their fallen brothers and sisters,” said Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. “This loss – so close to those annual remembrances – is a cruel reminder of the many officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf. The officers who protect our communities day in and day out are heroes.”
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine also released a statement on Henderson’s death, writing, “I have been briefed on the ongoing investigation and am sickened by what appears to be an intentional act of violence. We offer our sincere condolences to the deputy’s family, friends, and colleagues.”
Fundraiser backlash
On Monday, Ohio FOP President Jay McDonald and Cincinnati FOP president Ken Kober called on GoFundMe to take down any fundraisers for the Hinton family.
“This is absolutely outrageous, to fundraise off the assassination of a law enforcement officer. The 23,000 members of the Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio demand that GoFundMe take these appeals down immediately,” said Jay McDonald.
“His heinous and cowardly act shouldn’t be rewarded and celebrated like it is right now by GoFundMe,” added Kober.
FOP leadership said there were about a dozen GoFundMe fundraisers for the Hinton family, with one raising upwards of $5,000. The provided links reflected some of the fundraisers were already taken down. CityBeat searched the platform for fundraisers connected to the Hinton family, finding two in support of Rodney Hinton Jr.: one with $75 raised and one with $15 raised. Several memorial fundraisers for Ryan Hinton can be found on GoFundMe, with one raising more that $9,600 as of press time.
A bilateral investigation into the shooting death of Ryan Hinton is ongoing.
The next hearing for Rodney Hinton Jr. is scheduled for Tuesday morning.
Funeral arrangements for Henderson will be shared in the coming days, according to McGuffey.
Follow CityBeat’s staff news writer Madeline Fening on Instagram. Got a news tip? Email mfening@citybeat.com.
Related Stories
Blurry Video, Critical Seconds: What We Know About the Fatal Shooting by an Officer in East Price Hill
Rodney Hinton Jr. Pleads Not Guilty, Judge Issues No Bond
This article appears in Apr 30 – May 13, 2025.
