Fact Check: "Deputy was directing traffic when struck by Hinton's father."
What We Know
On May 5, 2025, it was reported that Rodney Hinton Jr., the father of an 18-year-old who was fatally shot by police, allegedly struck and killed a sheriff's deputy while he was directing traffic outside the University of Cincinnati. This incident occurred shortly after Hinton Jr. had watched police bodycam footage of the shooting of his son, Ryan Hinton, who was killed during a confrontation with police while allegedly brandishing a gun (BBC, NBC News).
The deputy, identified as Larry Ray Henderson Jr., was performing traffic duties during a graduation event when he was hit around 1:00 PM local time. Prosecutors have claimed that Hinton Jr. acted in a "calculated and premeditated" manner, deliberately accelerating his vehicle to cause the deputy's death (NBC News, CBS News).
Analysis
The claim that the deputy was directing traffic when struck by Hinton's father is supported by multiple credible sources. Reports consistently indicate that Deputy Henderson was indeed performing traffic duties at the time of the incident (BBC, NBC News). The circumstances surrounding the incident, including the timing after Hinton Jr. viewed the footage of his son's shooting, suggest a potential emotional response, as noted by Hinton's attorney who described him as "understandably distraught" (NBC News).
The reliability of the sources is high, as they include major news outlets such as the BBC, NBC News, and CBS News, which adhere to journalistic standards of fact-checking and reporting. The information has been corroborated by official statements from law enforcement and legal representatives involved in the case.
However, it is important to note that while the claims about the incident are substantiated, the motivations behind Hinton Jr.'s actions are still under investigation and remain a matter of legal proceedings. Hinton Jr. has pleaded not guilty to the charges of aggravated murder and his defense claims he may have been suffering from mental health issues at the time of the incident (NBC News, Washington Post).
Conclusion
The claim that the deputy was directing traffic when struck by Hinton's father is True. The evidence from multiple credible sources confirms that Deputy Larry Ray Henderson Jr. was indeed performing traffic duties at the time he was fatally struck by Rodney Hinton Jr., who had just witnessed the police shooting of his son.
Sources
- Father charged with killing deputy a day after police killed ...
- A Cincinnati officer won't be charged in the shooting death ...
- Ohio officer won't be charged in Ryan Hinton's fatal shooting
- Ohio father who fatally struck deputy with car after son was ...
- Chaos erupts in court for hearing of Ohio father accused ...
- Ohio deputy fatally struck by father whose son was killed ...
- Man who fatally struck deputy is father of teen killed by ...
- Father of teen fatally shot by police is charged for ...
