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Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich said the officer who shot and killed Ryan Hinton was “legally justified” in his actions, thus dodging charges from a grand jury, the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
During a June 17 press conference, Pillich said the unnamed Cincinnati police officer had the right to shoot Hinton, 18, who was armed with a Glock .40 caliber handgun with an extended magazine. The prosecutor said the officer believed Hinton pointed the weapon at him, resulting in the fatal May 1 shooting.
Hinton was a suspect in a report of a stolen vehicle, causing him and three others to flee the scene after being approached by “Officer A.” Pillich said the officer had no choice but to make a quick choice.
“When Ryan Hinton was confronted by officers about a stolen car, he not only had a gun, with a fully loaded magazine and a bullet in the chamber, but he pointed it at Officer A,” Pillich said in a statement. “Officer A made a split-second decision that likely saved his life and the lives of other officers.”
According to NBC News, body camera footage showed an officer exiting his squad car and approaching Hinton, with his gun pointed at him. The responding officer fired his weapon at least four times, with the victim being hit with at least two bullets. A second officer was heard in the video saying: “He’s got a gun! He’s got a gun on your right! On your right!”
The officer said he heard another officer warn about a gun and fired his weapon, claiming he saw the victim point his weapon at him. However, reviewed body camera footage revealed it was unclear whether Hinton pointed a gun at officers.
“He said, ‘I thought I better get my gun out and shoot him before he shoots me, and I fired before he could fire on me,’” the prosecutor said. “It was reasonable in his fear of harm. This shooting was justified. Police officers are often forced to make split-second decisions in circumstances that are tense, uncertain, and rapidly evolving.”
While Officer A escaped charges, the case took an even more tragic turn the next day. Hinton’s father, Rodney Hinton Jr., was arrested and charged after allegedly fatally striking Hamilton County sheriff’s deputy Larry Henderson with his vehicle as he worked a traffic detail near the University of Cincinnati.
Police claim the two deaths are connected, as the day prior to Henderson’s death, Rodney Hinton Jr. met with Cincinnati police to watch the body camera video of his son’s shooting and left the meeting distraught.
Rodney Hinton Jr. pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder charges.
Following Pillich’s press conference, the Hinton family spoke out against the prosecutor’s decision not to charge the officer. “How can you be threatened by someone running from you?” Ryan Hinton’s cousin, Marlyn Howard, said. “We miss you. We love you down here.”
Lawyer Fanon Rucker says the family plans to file a civil lawsuit.
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