COLUMBUS, OH – May 5, 2025 — The Buckeye State Sheriffs’ Association (BSSA) is calling on GoFundMe to immediately remove multiple online fundraisers created in support of Rodney Hinton Jr., the man accused of killing a Hamilton County sheriff’s deputy during a special duty assignment in Cincinnati last Friday.
BSSA Executive Director Robert Cornwell issued a strongly worded statement on behalf of Ohio’s law enforcement community, condemning the existence of any crowdfunding efforts that support Hinton, who is currently charged with aggravated murder.
“On behalf of the law enforcement community in Ohio and the nation, we implore the GoFundMe organization to immediately take down the efforts of fundraising for an assassin,” said Cornwell.
Deputy Larry Henderson was fatally struck by a vehicle while directing traffic during a graduation ceremony near the University of Cincinnati. Authorities allege the act was intentional, and Hinton Jr. has since been taken into custody and formally charged.
The incident occurred just one day after Hinton Jr.’s 18-year-old son, Ryan Hinton, was shot and killed by a Cincinnati police officer during an unrelated encounter. The full details of that incident have not yet been released.
In addition to expressing outrage at Hinton’s alleged actions, the BSSA emphasized that neither he nor his supporters should be allowed to profit or raise money in connection with the deputy’s death.
“Mr. Hinton and his family and friends should not benefit at the expense of a law enforcement officer who was doing the job he was hired to perform,” Cornwell stated.
The Buckeye State Sheriffs’ Association represents all 88 sheriffs across Ohio, over 3,000 deputy sheriffs, and 17,000 associate members. Their statement reflects growing frustration within the law enforcement community as high-profile crimes increasingly intersect with social media and crowdfunding platforms.
As of Monday afternoon, several fundraisers related to Hinton remained active on GoFundMe. The platform has not yet commented on whether it will remove the campaigns.
