Hamilton County Coroner Dr. Lakshmi Sammarco shared the autopsy findings of 18-year-old Ryan Hinton, who was fatally wounded in a police shooting earlier in the month. According to FOX19, Sammarco detailed that Hinton suffered three gunshot wounds, with the second gunshot believed to be the fatal one. The wound entered through his left lateral chest below the armpit and exited his chest.
Initial communication from Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge indicated that Hinton may have been shot directly in the chest, up to three times. However, Dr. Sammarco's findings raised questions about this information. Cincinnati's Police Chief was told by the coroner's office of two, maybe three gunshot wounds, including one to the chest, as reported by FOX19.
As stated by WVXU, Sammarco clarified that the lethal wound pierced Hinton’s left ventricle and a rib before exiting his body near the sternum. While his death was ruled a homicide, the coroner's statement emphasized, "There are victims in this and they're not just the people who have passed away."
In addition, Dr. Sammarco refuted claims that Hinton was shot from behind, explaining that "the bullet wound shows a bullet entered 'straight from the side.'" This statement hopes to dispel any misinformation regarding the direction from which the shots were fired. In a press conference, Sammarco also noted that despite the three bullet entry points, only one bullet was recovered near Hinton's right chest, and it's possible only two bullets struck him, as per information provided by WLWT.
The discrepancies in reports have prompted Hinton's family to commission their investigation, which includes a private autopsy. Nonetheless, they claim not to have received key information from both the coroner and the city of Cincinnati. The family's attorneys voice concern over inconsistencies between the preliminary reports provided by the Cincinnati Police Chief and those presented by the coroner, per WVXU. The resolution and implications of these findings remain to be seen as the investigation unfolds.
