CINCINNATI — The man who ran his car into a Hamilton County sheriff's deputy working a traffic detail near the University of Cincinnati, killing him, was the father of a man shot and killed by a Cincinnati police officer one day prior, Chief Teresa Theetge said during a press conference Friday evening.
Cincinnati police said 38-year-old Rodney Hinton Jr. was arrested for aggravated murder following the deputy's death. Hinton is the father of 18-year-old Ryan Hinton, who an officer shot and killed Thursday morning during a pursuit involving a stolen vehicle.
Theetge said the deputy, who has not been named at this time, was just "doing his job" while directing traffic outside UC's commencement at around 1 p.m. when Hinton hit him with their vehicle.
WATCH: Mourning, anger follow the death of Hamilton County sheriff's deputy
During an earlier press conference Friday, Theetge said an officer shot and killed 18-year-old Ryan Hinton who jumped out of a stolen vehicle Thursday morning. Officers from CPD's Fugitive Apprehension Squad, along with other uniformed officers, approached a stolen vehicle at an apartment in East Price Hill when four men jumped from the car and ran.
Video and still images from officer body camera footage show Ryan Hinton appeared to fall on the concrete before he continued to run. Theetge said officers said they saw him carrying a gun and heard the gun hit the ground when he fell. That cannot be seen or heard in the body camera footage.
The man ran through two nearby dumpsters, where an officer was already on the other side with a gun drawn. Theetge said another officer at the scene told the officer behind the dumpsters that Ryan Hinton is armed. Video shows Hinton attempting to run away from the officer, but the officer can be heard saying "gun" before multiple gunshots ring out. He was later pronounced dead.
Body camera footage shows the moment an officer shoots Hinton here:
Police retrieved a gun with an extended magazine attached near where Ryan Hinton was shot and a magazine was found in his sweatshirt pocket. However, Theetge said there is no evidence the 18-year-old fired his gun at all.
CPD's Homicide Unit is investigating both Ryan Hinton's death and the deputy's death. Anyone with information on the deputy's death is asked to call 513-352-3542.
Theetge asked for community members to "let the investigations play out."
"This community ... our city and our county, has had two critical incidents in two days," said Theetge. "I do have a plea to everybody: Let the processes play out, let the investigations play out. Keep calm, take care of one another and I can assure you as the chief of police for Cincinnati, I will assure you of transparency and a thorough and accurate investigation."
Watch the entire press conference on the deputy's death here:
Former Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police President Dan Hils said the situation was clear in his eyes: murder.
"There isn't enough circumstantial, or chance, to be anything else," he said.
Hils said it was hard to stay professional while talking about the case as he works similar jobs post-retirement that the deputy was doing when he was hit and killed.
"I think every police official within 100 miles should make sure that the local prosecutor knows that this should be a death penalty case," he said.
Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich issued a statement about the deputy's death Friday evening:
"We are heartbroken by the loss of a member of our law enforcement community who died after being struck by a vehicle while he was doing his job.
Our thoughts are with the officer’s family, colleagues and all those grieving this tragic loss. We remain steadfast in our support for the men and women who risk their lives each day to protect us.
The investigation is ongoing, but if the facts show this act was intentional, as the charge suggests, I will throw the full force of the law at the perpetrator.
I implore people not to act rashly so there is not another tragedy."
