Corporal Robert Howard Hinson, aged 59, was a dedicated officer with the Columbus County Sheriff's Office in North Carolina. On the night of June 18, 1991, he responded to a breaking and entering call at the county airport. Tragically, this call was a ruse orchestrated by two suspects, aged 16 and 17, who intended to ambush an officer. As Corporal Hinson approached the scene, he was shot once in the head at close range and killed instantly.
The suspects were apprehended nearby by responding officers. During interviews, one of the suspects reportedly confessed that the ambush was part of a gang initiation, and they had planned to murder an officer and steal his duty weapon. Both suspects were tried as adults and received life sentences, with an additional 70 years to run consecutively. As of June 9, 2023, both were still in prison.
Corporal Hinson was a United States Army Vietnam War veteran and had served with the Columbus County Sheriff's Office for 10 years. He was survived by his wife, two sons, and two daughters. His death was a significant loss to his family, friends, and the law enforcement community.
The case highlighted the dangers faced by law enforcement officers and led to increased awareness and measures to protect officers from such ambushes in the future. Corporal Hinson's sacrifice is remembered and honored by those who knew him and by the law enforcement community at large.
