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Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Yahoo
GoFundMe support for Ohio deputy's accused killer puts 'target on the backs' of police: expert
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways Online support for Rodney Hinton Jr., the Ohio father accused of killing a sheriff's deputy one day after police fatally shot his son during a stolen vehicle pursuit, is putting a "target" on the backs of law enforcement officers, according to National Police Association spokesperson Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith (Ret.). Hinton Jr. is charged with aggravated murder after he allegedly "intentionally" struck retired Hamilton County Deputy Larry Henderson, who was directing traffic near the University of Cincinnati during a graduation ceremony, with a vehicle around 1 p.m. Friday, according to Cincinnati police. In recent days, people have raised thousands of dollars on GoFundMe for Hinton Jr.'s attorney costs and his son's funeral. Social media users have also been vocal in their support for both men. Brantner Smith told Fox News Digital that while everyone has a constitutional right to get legal representation in criminal cases, social media users seem to be promoting false information about the case "that somehow Rodney Hinton Jr. was unarmed and murdered by police, and nothing could be further from the truth," she said. Police Group Slams Gofundme For Ohio Father Accused Of Killing Deputy Larry Henderson "No police officer wakes up in the morning and says, 'I hope I get to shoot somebody tonight,'" she said. "And this situation in Cincinnati is just another example of the false narrative that somehow it's the American law enforcement officer who is violent." Read On The Fox News App She added that social media posts backing Rodney Hinton's alleged actions "do nothing but put a target on the backs of law enforcement officers." Cincinnati Police Department Chief Teresa Theetge said officers were pursuing a vehicle stolen from an apartment complex when four individuals exited the stolen car and began to flee authorities. Ohio Deputy Struck And Killed By Father Of Teen Fatally Shot By Officer A Day Earlier: Police Rodney Hinton Jr. is charged with aggravated murder after he allegedly "intentionally" struck Hamilton County Deputy Larry Henderson, who was directing traffic near the University of Cincinnati during a graduation ceremony. One officer pursued Ryan Hinton, who was allegedly armed at the time and hid behind a dumpster. When Ryan emerged from the dumpster, the officer fired, fatally striking the 18-year-old suspect, Theetge said. Two other suspects involved in the stolen vehicle incident have been apprehended, and one remains at large, according to Theetge. Los Angeles Police Hope To Reunite Firearm Owners With Guns After Devastating Palisades Fire Cleveland police fatally shot Ryan Hinton on Thursday, May 1. A GoFundMe titled "Justice for Rodney Hinton Jr and his Son" has raised more than $5,000 and aims to "help raise funds for Rodney Hinton Jr lawyer [sic] for the justice of his sons [sic] murder" and "also to stop police brutality against innocent people and children." A separate GoFundMe titled "Help Honor Ryan Hinton's Memory and Seek Justice," which aims to help the 18-year-old's family "seek justice for Ryan in the form of legal representation and a proper memorial for his life," has raised more than $7,000. Ohio Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) President Jay McDonald said in a Monday statement that Ryan's father, Rodney Hinton Jr., "intentionally murdered a retired deputy who was working special duty at a graduation just because he was a police officer." Democrat Gun Control Push Persists With Reintroduction Of Assault Weapons Ban "His heinous and cowardly act shouldn't be rewarded and celebrated like it is right now on GoFundMe. On behalf of all law enforcement officers, we demand GoFundMe stop honoring and profiting from a cop-killer who taunted deputies about the murder at his arraignment," McDonald said. GoFundMe did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Hinton family's attorneys told Fox News Digital in a statement that the Cochran Firm "was hired by Ryan Hinton's estate to conduct an investigation into his shooting death by an officer with the Cincinnati Police Department." "We are in the preliminary stages of that investigation," the family's attorneys said, adding that on Friday, Hinton family members and Cincinnati police attended a meeting together "to view body camera video of Ryan Hinton's shooting death." Rodney Hinton Jr. is charged with aggravated murder in connection with Hamilton County Deputy Larry Henderson's death. "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 family's attorneys said. "After the meeting with the police department, Ryan Hinton's father left in his own vehicle and that was the last we heard from him until learning about the tragic incident involving a law enforcement officer who was working a traffic detail near the University of Cincinnati." The attorneys offered their "heartfelt condolences to the family and colleagues of the officer who was killed yesterday." "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," the attorneys said. Rodney Hinton Sr., Ryan Hinton's grandfather, said during a Monday afternoon press conference that he is "praying hard for the officer that killed" his grandson and recalled what he saw in the police bodycam footage of his grandson's shooting death. "I seen in the video…two scared people: I seen the officer scared, and I seen my grandson scared. So, it's an unfortunate incident that happened," Hinton Sr. said. "I didn't see the police there trying to kill, kill, kill. No. All I seen is two people who made a mistake." Rodney Hinton Sr., Ryan Hinton's grandfather, said during a Monday afternoon press conference that he is "praying hard for the officer that killed" his grandson and recalled what he saw in the police bodycam footage of his grandson's shooting death. Henderson was a 33-year officer with the HCSO and served in multiple specialized units since 1991, including the dive team, HCPA SWAT, FBI Task Force Officer and the HCSO Bomb Unit. "In Deputy Henderson's early tenure as a Sheriff's Deputy, I recognized his talent for teaching and presentation," Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey said in a Sunday statement. "Larry began his journey as a Sheriff's Office trainer early in his career. He developed an expertise and became an excellent trainer. Subsequently, he trained divisions of the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office that included hundreds of deputy sheriffs. His ability to relate to and touch officers' lives was extraordinary. We will continue to honor Larry's life of service." Ohio Gov. Mike Dewine ordered flags be lowered to half-mast in Henderson's honor on Sunday. Original article source: GoFundMe support for Ohio deputy's accused killer puts 'target on the backs' of police: expert
Fox News
06-05-2025
- Fox News
GoFundMe support for Ohio deputy's accused killer puts 'target on the backs' of police: expert
Online support for Rodney Hinton Jr., the Ohio father accused of killing a sheriff's deputy one day after police fatally shot his son during a stolen vehicle pursuit, is putting a "target" on the backs of law enforcement officers, according to National Police Association spokesperson Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith (Ret.). Hinton Jr. is charged with aggravated murder after he allegedly "intentionally" struck retired Hamilton County Deputy Larry Henderson, who was directing traffic near the University of Cincinnati during a graduation ceremony, with a vehicle around 1 p.m. Friday, according to Cincinnati police. In recent days, people have raised thousands of dollars on GoFundMe for Hinton Jr.'s attorney costs and his son's funeral. Social media users have also been vocal in their support for both men. Brantner Smith told Fox News Digital that while everyone has a constitutional right to get legal representation in criminal cases, social media users seem to be promoting false information about the case "that somehow Rodney Hinton Jr. was unarmed and murdered by police, and nothing could be further from the truth," she said. "No police officer wakes up in the morning and says, 'I hope I get to shoot somebody tonight,'" she said. "And this situation in Cincinnati is just another example of the false narrative that somehow it's the American law enforcement officer who is violent." She added that social media posts backing Rodney Hinton's alleged actions "do nothing but put a target on the backs of law enforcement officers." "This is what cops every day in America face." Cincinnati Police Department Chief Teresa Theetge said officers were pursuing a vehicle stolen from an apartment complex when four individuals exited the stolen car and began to flee authorities. One officer pursued Ryan Hinton, who was allegedly armed at the time and hid behind a dumpster. When Ryan emerged from the dumpster, the officer fired, fatally striking the 18-year-old suspect, Theetge said. Two other suspects involved in the stolen vehicle incident have been apprehended, and one remains at large, according to Theetge. A GoFundMe titled "Justice for Rodney Hinton Jr and his Son" has raised more than $5,000 and aims to "help raise funds for Rodney Hinton Jr lawyer [sic] for the justice of his sons [sic] murder" and "also to stop police brutality against innocent people and children." A separate GoFundMe titled "Help Honor Ryan Hinton's Memory and Seek Justice," which aims to help the 18-year-old's family "seek justice for Ryan in the form of legal representation and a proper memorial for his life," has raised more than $7,000. Ohio Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) President Jay McDonald said in a Monday statement that Ryan's father, Rodney Hinton Jr., "intentionally murdered a retired deputy who was working special duty at a graduation just because he was a police officer." "His heinous and cowardly act shouldn't be rewarded and celebrated like it is right now on GoFundMe. On behalf of all law enforcement officers, we demand GoFundMe stop honoring and profiting from a cop-killer who taunted deputies about the murder at his arraignment," McDonald said. GoFundMe did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Hinton family's attorneys told Fox News Digital in a statement that the Cochran Firm "was hired by Ryan Hinton's estate to conduct an investigation into his shooting death by an officer with the Cincinnati Police Department." "We are in the preliminary stages of that investigation," the family's attorneys said, adding that on Friday, Hinton family members and Cincinnati police attended a meeting together "to view body camera video of Ryan Hinton's shooting death." "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 family's attorneys said. "After the meeting with the police department, Ryan Hinton's father left in his own vehicle and that was the last we heard from him until learning about the tragic incident involving a law enforcement officer who was working a traffic detail near the University of Cincinnati." The attorneys offered their "heartfelt condolences to the family and colleagues of the officer who was killed yesterday." "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," the attorneys said. Rodney Hinton Sr., Ryan Hinton's grandfather, said during a Monday afternoon press conference that he is "praying hard for the officer that killed" his grandson and recalled what he saw in the police bodycam footage of his grandson's shooting death. "I seen in the video…two scared people: I seen the officer scared, and I seen my grandson scared. So, it's an unfortunate incident that happened," Hinton Sr. said. "I didn't see the police there trying to kill, kill, kill. No. All I seen is two people who made a mistake." Henderson was a 33-year officer with the HCSO and served in multiple specialized units since 1991, including the dive team, HCPA SWAT, FBI Task Force Officer and the HCSO Bomb Unit. "In Deputy Henderson's early tenure as a Sheriff's Deputy, I recognized his talent for teaching and presentation," Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey said in a Sunday statement. "Larry began his journey as a Sheriff's Office trainer early in his career. He developed an expertise and became an excellent trainer. Subsequently, he trained divisions of the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office that included hundreds of deputy sheriffs. His ability to relate to and touch officers' lives was extraordinary. We will continue to honor Larry's life of service." Ohio Gov. Mike Dewine ordered flags be lowered to half-mast in Henderson's honor on Sunday.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump lifts police ‘burden' with executive orders in first 100 days: veteran officer
After President Donald Trump signed a slew of executive orders to reduce crime on his first day in office, one expert with nearly three decades of law enforcement experience said the days of police vilification are over. "Since Trump has returned to office, it has really been, it's been a burden lifted for law enforcement," Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith (Ret.) told Fox News Digital. "And I think that this vilification of law enforcement is going to fade because politicians at the highest level are not going to go along with it anymore." Smith is a 29-year law enforcement veteran and spokesperson for the National Police Association. She now trains police officers across the country, and speaks with rank-and-file officers regularly. On day one, Trump signed the Executive Order on Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions, which eliminated dozens of Biden-era executive orders. One of those Biden-era orders was called Advancing Effective, Accountable Policing and Criminal Justice Practices to Enhance Public Trust and Public Safety. Trump To Take More Than 200 Executive Actions On Day One That order promoted "alternatives to arrest or incarceration," banned local and state authorities from obtaining surplus federal government weapons and other law enforcement equipment, and cracked down on local law enforcement's ability to use force in making arrests. Read On The Fox News App Dem Elites Accused Of Slapping Small-town Cops With 'Witch Hunt' Fines Twice Their Pay Smith noted that now, law enforcement optimism is as high as it has been since what she called the "war on cops," which she said began when Barack Obama was president and when Joe Biden was his vice president. She said that pro-police and law and order messaging is refreshing for the law enforcement community, and may even attract new recruits to the profession. "And what that is going to do, albeit slowly, is help us recover from these last four years of police officers retiring early, or fleeing places like New York and Chicago and LA and going to places like Florida and Arizona," she said. "And I think we'll start to see young people interested in the profession again." Trump also enacted an executive order on his first day back in office called the Executive Order on Protecting the American People Against Invasion, meant to "combat cross-border crime in our communities, including drug and gang crime as well as human trafficking and smuggling," according to the National Association for Police Officers. Blue City Police Sergeants Say They're Paid Less Than Subordinates As Billions Go To Migrants "The executive order also promotes… agreements with states and localities to grant state and local law enforcement officers the necessary resources and latitude to pursue investigations relating to violent crimes, human smuggling, and gang and drug activity by criminal aliens," NAPO said. Smith, an Arizona resident, also regularly communicates with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents. "We have a lot of interaction with border patrol," she said. "The morale in the border patrol here in southern Arizona… it's exploded. You see those guys and gals out and about, and they're so happy because they get to do their jobs. They're just happy to be back to work." CBP Assistant Commissioner for Public Affairs Hilton Beckham told Fox News Digital that the agency is no longer hamstrung and is back to working at full force. "Change starts with leadership. Under a president who restores authority to law enforcement and backs the men and women on the frontlines, we're seeing a complete 180 at the border," she said. "Historic lows in illegal crossings — numbers even veteran agents haven't seen — and an unprecedented whole-of-government collaboration are delivering real results. The CBP mission never changed, but now we have the ability to enforce it fully: holding lawbreakers accountable, restoring order, and putting Americans first."Original article source: Trump lifts police 'burden' with executive orders in first 100 days: veteran officer
Fox News
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Trump lifts police ‘burden' with executive orders in first 100 days: veteran officer
After President Donald Trump signed a slew of executive orders to reduce crime on his first day in office, one expert with nearly three decades of law enforcement experience said the days of police vilification are over. "Since Trump has returned to office, it has really been, it's been a burden lifted for law enforcement," Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith (Ret.) told Fox News Digital. "And I think that this vilification of law enforcement is going to fade because politicians at the highest level are not going to go along with it anymore." Smith is a 29-year law enforcement veteran and spokesperson for the National Police Association. She now trains police officers across the country, and speaks with rank-and-file officers regularly. On day one, Trump signed the Executive Order on Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions, which eliminated dozens of Biden-era executive orders. One of those Biden-era orders was called Advancing Effective, Accountable Policing and Criminal Justice Practices to Enhance Public Trust and Public Safety. That order promoted "alternatives to arrest or incarceration," banned local and state authorities from obtaining surplus federal government weapons and other law enforcement equipment, and cracked down on local law enforcement's ability to use force in making arrests. Smith noted that now, law enforcement optimism is as high as it has been since what she called the "war on cops," which she said began when Barack Obama was president and when Joe Biden was his vice president. She said that pro-police and law and order messaging is refreshing for the law enforcement community, and may even attract new recruits to the profession. "And what that is going to do, albeit slowly, is help us recover from these last four years of police officers retiring early, or fleeing places like New York and Chicago and LA and going to places like Florida and Arizona," she said. "And I think we'll start to see young people interested in the profession again." Trump also enacted an executive order on his first day back in office called the Executive Order on Protecting the American People Against Invasion, meant to "combat cross-border crime in our communities, including drug and gang crime as well as human trafficking and smuggling," according to the National Association for Police Officers. "The executive order also promotes… agreements with states and localities to grant state and local law enforcement officers the necessary resources and latitude to pursue investigations relating to violent crimes, human smuggling, and gang and drug activity by criminal aliens," NAPO said. Smith, an Arizona resident, also regularly communicates with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents. "We have a lot of interaction with border patrol," she said. "The morale in the border patrol here in southern Arizona… it's exploded. You see those guys and gals out and about, and they're so happy because they get to do their jobs. They're just happy to be back to work." CBP Assistant Commissioner for Public Affairs Hilton Beckham told Fox News Digital that the agency is no longer hamstrung and is back to working at full force. "Change starts with leadership. Under a president who restores authority to law enforcement and backs the men and women on the frontlines, we're seeing a complete 180 at the border," she said. "Historic lows in illegal crossings — numbers even veteran agents haven't seen — and an unprecedented whole-of-government collaboration are delivering real results. The CBP mission never changed, but now we have the ability to enforce it fully: holding lawbreakers accountable, restoring order, and putting Americans first."
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Yahoo
Blue state's Democrat AG should be investigated for ‘politically charged' prosecution of cop: police group
The National Police Association asked the Department of Justice to open a federal civil rights investigation into New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez after he prosecuted a police officer for fatally shooting a suspect who grabbed his partner's stun gun. Las Cruces Police Officer Brad Lunsford was convicted of voluntary manslaughter after he shot and killed Presley Eze after the suspect allegedly placed his hand on another police officer's stun gun. Lunsford was responding to a gas station after an attendant called 911 to report that Eze allegedly stole beer in August 2022. Torrez, a Democrat, thought the shooting by Lunsford wasn't justified and decided to prosecute Lunsford for voluntary manslaughter. Lunsford was convicted by a jury in February. "Today's verdict reaffirms a fundamental principle: No one is above the law, not even those sworn to uphold it. Officer Lunsford's actions were not just a tragic lapse in judgment; they were an egregious abuse of power that cost Presley Eze his life," Torrez said after the verdict was announced. National Guard Deployed To Blue City Overrun With Juvenile Crime, Fentanyl Is 'Not Enough,' State Gop Says Torrez also said that Lunsford's action was "yet another example of poor police tactics resulting in an unjustifiable use of force to subdue an individual resisting arrest for the commission of a minor crime." Read On The Fox News App Body camera video shows Lunsford engaging Eze in a conversation, but the suspect avoids giving his identity. Lunsford asks Eze several times to step out of the vehicle but is never given an answer, according to KFOX14, which is when Lunsford's partner, officer Keegan Arbogast, steps in. Arbogast asks Eze, "Are you going to cooperate or what?" to which Eze responds, "Yes, I'm going to cooperate." Cellphone video from the incident, according to the report, shows Eze disarming Arbogast by grabbing his taser. That's when Lunsford shoots Eze. Cbp In Texas Confiscates 242 Pounds Of Smuggled Mexican Bologna At Port Of Entry After the guilty verdict, Lunsford's attorney, Matt Chandler, argued that the right to a fair trial was violated when two jurors were improperly removed and replaced with alternates. "Every citizen is entitled to a fair and impartial jury," Chandler said. "In this case, we believe there was a direct violation of that right. Two jurors, who had been vetted and selected by the defense, were suddenly removed and replaced by alternate jurors. That alone is enough to call this verdict into question and demand a new trial." The judge who presided over Lunsford's case admitted to errors during a March hearing and allowed the police officer to be released under certain conditions. Lunsford has not been sentenced as Chandler argues that a new trial is needed. On Thursday, the National Police Association requested that the Department of Justice open a civil rights investigation into Torrez's prosecution of Lunsford, which the organization argued was "politically charged." In an interview with Fox News Digital, National Police Association spokesperson Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith (ret.) said Lunsford's constitutional rights have been "trampled upon." "It's just extraordinary that a police officer would be charged with a felony for simply doing his job. But that's exactly what Attorney General Torrez has done in this case," Smith said. New Mexico Hs Baseball Player Charged, Team Suspended Amid Allegations Teen Urinated In Opponents' Water Jug Smith argued that Torrez used this case to benefit his political career. "We absolutely believe that Attorney General Torrez is using the Lunsford case for his own political activism and for his gain as an elected official. And what is not being considered is Officer Lunsford's record and the fact that he absolutely followed departmental policy, and he followed his training in this case," Smith said. Smith said the National Police Association is taking action against Torrez not only because of what's happening to Lunsford, but also for the potential effect it could have on police officers across the country. "This case will absolutely have a national impact, especially for police officers who have these far-left attorneys general and far-left state prosecutors who are more interested in putting police officers in prison than they are arresting and convicting actual criminals," she said. Fox News Digital reached out to Torrez' office, the New Mexico Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Justice for article source: Blue state's Democrat AG should be investigated for 'politically charged' prosecution of cop: police group
