Vice President JD Vance speaks during a National Police Week breakfast at the vice president's residence, May 14, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harnik)
A car hit Henderson while he directed traffic near the University of Cincinnati during a graduation ceremony on May 2.
Rodney Hinton faces charges of aggravated murder, and authorities claim he deliberately drove into Henderson after police officers shot and killed Hinton’s 18-year-old son May 1. Hinton’s son was allegedly armed and in the middle of fleeing the scene of a stolen vehicle investigation when he was shot.
Hinton pleaded not guilty to the charges Tuesday, and a judge set the trial date for February 2026.
Hinton "intentionally murdered a retired deputy who was working special duty at a graduation just because he was a police officer," according to the Ohio Fraternal Order of Police President Jay McDonald.
Meanwhile, Vance reassured law enforcement officials at the breakfast that President Donald Trump backs them.
"So know from the president on down, this administration stands behind you guys," Vance said. "We love you guys. We know that you're out there doing a good job for us. And I think that moral leadership matters just as much as the public policy. But from this administration, you're, of course, getting it both."
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Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, introduced legislation to increase the minimum sentence for those found guilty of assaulting a police officer. (Reuters)
Henderson’s death has prompted lawmakers to initiate reform.
Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, introduced the Larry Henderson Act into the Senate Monday, which would require those found guilty of assaulting a federal law enforcement officer to serve at least a 20-year sentence. That is up from the one to eight years in prison currently in place.
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"Enough is enough," Moreno said in a Monday statement. "Anyone who assaults one of our men or women in blue needs to face severe consequences, period."
During National Police Week, Vance is also scheduled to speak at the 44th annual National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service Thursday at the U.S. Capitol.
Fox News’ Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.
Diana Stancy is a politics reporter with Fox News Digital covering the White House.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/vance-sears-us-leaders-turning-police-enemies