An Ohio deputy sheriff killed by a driver accused of intentionally running him over was remembered Friday as a dedicated officer who regularly volunteered for the most dangerous assignments.
Deputy Larry Ray Henderson Jr. was mourned by a sea of police officers, the governor and others inside the Cintas Center in Cincinnati, where he spent decades working for the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office.
Speakers described him as a selfless colleague and dedicated public servant known for keeping his uniform in top order and for a sharp sense of humor.
Henderson, a native of Mariemont, Ohio, was directing traffic near the University of Cincinnati on May 2, graduation day, when he was hit by a car that drove into an intersection, police have said.
Authorities have accused Rodney Hinton Jr., 38, of running down the deputy on purpose, charging him with aggravated murder. Henderson was killed a few hours after Hinton and other family members watched police body camera footage showing an officer fatally shoot Hinton’s son, Ryan Hinton, 18.
Hinton’s attorney entered a not guilty plea on his behalf Tuesday and said Hinton was not in his right frame of mind at the time of the crash.
The Cincinnati officer who shot Ryan Hinton twice told investigators that he had pointed a gun at him, according to Cincinnati’s police chief. Police have said a semiautomatic handgun was found on Ryan Hinton and that a second gun was recovered from the car. Police had been responding to a stolen car report.
One officer could be heard in body camera video released by police saying “he’s got a gun, he’s got a gun” before the shooting — authorities have said there is no indication Ryan Hinton fired at police.
The obituary for Henderson, 57, said he served the sheriff’s office in many roles, including corrections officer, patrol officer and dive team supervisor. He retired in December after 37 years but continued working as a special deputy. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps and was an avid outdoorsman. Survivors include his wife and five children.
