Photo: Moment RF
An Ohio officer won't face charges in the fatal shooting of Ryan Hinton, an 18-year-old Black man whose father is accused of avenging police for his son's death.
On Tuesday (June 17), Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich said the Cincinnati police officer "was legally justified in his use of force" against Hinton, per NBC News.
Hinton was shot and killed after authorities said they found him and three others with a vehicle that was reported stolen. Body camera footage shows an officer exiting his vehicle and pointing a gun at Hinton, who police said was armed. The officer fired his weapon at least four times and hit Hinton twice.
In the video, a second officer can be heard saying, “He’s got a gun! He’s got a gun on your right! On your right!” It's unclear from the footage if Hinton pointed a gun at officers.
Pillich, however, said the officer heard the warning about a gun and saw Hinton point it at him before firing his weapon.
"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,'" Pillich said. It "was reasonable in his fear of harm. This shooting was justified," she added. "Police officers are often forced to make split-second decisions in circumstances that are tense, uncertain, and rapidly evolving."
A day after the police shooting, Hinton's father, Rodney, was arrested and charged with fatally striking a Hamilton County sheriff’s deputy with his vehicle. Hinton's family had viewed body camera video of the teen's shooting just before the deputy's death.
Police have said the two incidents are connected. Rodney pleaded not guilty to an aggravated murder charge.
Michael Wright, an attorney for the Hinton family, condemned Pillich’s decision not to file charges against the officer who killed Ryan.
“Let a group of citizens voting, citizens who are registered to vote, receive the information, take a look at the evidence, understand what the law is, and let them make the decision whether or not charges are appropriate with the appropriate instruction,” Wright said in a statement.
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