Sanders’ family urges city to uphold decision to fire Hinkle, Ronan
LAWTON — Lawton will challenge a recent ruling ordering the city to reinstate former police officers Robert Hinkle and Nathan Ronan, who are charged with first-degree manslaughter in the 2021 death of Quadry Sanders.
After discussing the ruling behind closed doors, the Lawton City Council voted June 22 to appeal the ruling, which also awarded back pay to Hinkle and Ronan. The decision to appeal came one week after Sanders’ family urged the city to stand by its decision to fire Hinkle and Ronan.
“This city took accountability and made the right decision to terminate these officers and indict them. I thank you for that,” said Sanders’ mother, Mina Woods. “But now, as his family, we’re asking you to uphold that decision and for once in the history of Lawton, Oklahoma, do not allow the scales of justice to be tilted against just us.”
Wearing red T-shirts with the slogans “Justice for Quadry” and “#SayHisNameQuadrySanders,” Woods and other members of Sanders’ family hosted a press conference June 15 at Lawton City Hall. They voiced their outrage over the order to reinstate Hinkle and Ronan, who shot and killed Sanders during a confrontation in December 2021.
The confrontation
On Dec. 5, 2021, Lawton police officers responded to a 911 call about a man inside the house at 1806 NW Lincoln Ave. The man, identified as Sanders, had allegedly violated a protective order and was carrying a firearm.
Officers set up a perimeter around the house, and a police sergeant used a PA system in a patrol car to issue orders to Sanders, Southwest Ledger reported in its May 10, 2022, edition. A short time later, Sanders left the house through the back door.
A police officer ordered Sanders to show his hands. Sanders complied with the order, then ran back inside the house. A short time later, Sanders left the house and encountered Hinkle and Ronan, who were wearing body cameras.
Video from the body camera showed that Hinkle told Sanders to put his hands down, the Ledger reported.
The newspaper said a statement from District Attorney Kyle Cabelka indicated that Sanders’ hands were clearly seen, and the only item visible in his hands was a ball cap. Sanders shifted the cap from one hand to the other.
Officers Hinkle and Ronan walked closer to Sanders, and the video showed Sanders raising both hands above his head.
“At that time, Hinkle fires his gun four times at Sanders, who falls to the ground,” the newspaper said. “Hinkle shouts for Sanders to ‘quit reaching’ as Sanders sits up with his hands above his head.
“However, Hinkle fires his gun seven more times. At the same time, Ronan discharges his weapon at Sanders four times.”
Sanders was taken to the hospital, but he died en route.
A ballistics report from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation showed that 15 bullets were fired, the newspaper reported. Seven rounds were recovered, six of which were fired by Hinkle.
The Oklahoma Chief Medical Examiner said Sanders was hit by 12 bullets, but the examiner was unable to determine which bullet was the fatal shot, the newspaper reported.
Investigators did not find a gun on or near Sanders.
The aftermath
Then-City Manager Michael Cleghorn fired Hinkle and Ronan in January 2022, following an administrative investigation. The two former officers were later charged with first-degree manslaughter and are awaiting trial.
Under the city’s collective bargaining agreement with the police union, mediators reviewed the case against Hinkle and Ronan last fall. Several months later, the arbitrators ruled that the two officers had been wrongfully fired and should be reinstated.
“In both arbitration hearings, numerous witnesses testified, exhibits were submitted, and body-worn camera videos extensively reviewed,” attorneys representing Hinkle, Ronan and the police union said in a June 9 news release. “Both arbitrators found that the city had not established that the police officers used excessive or unreasonable force.”
City Manager John Ratliff said June 16 that city officials would decide how to proceed in light of the ruling.
“The city is disappointed by the decision the arbitrators made in this matter and will be discussing the situation and considering available legal options during executive session at the special council meeting scheduled for Thursday, June 22nd,” he said in a written statement.
The council voted unanimously June 22 to appeal the arbitration decision and award for both Ronan and Hinkle.
‘One singular voice’
Civil rights attorney Lee Merritt, who was hired by Sanders’ family to investigate the shooting, said Thursday that the city has an obligation to appeal the arbitrators’ ruling.
“We’re asking this community to speak in one singular voice that there is no way, in contemplation, that these two officers should be reinstated as officers of the Lawton Police Department,” he said.
Merritt said Lawton residents are responsible for pressuring city leaders to seek justice and accountability in the case.
“Not only justice for this family but pursuing policies and procedures that make everyone in this community more safe,” he said.
Sherene Williams, president of the Lawton branch of the NAACP, said Hinkle and Ronan should not get their jobs back.
“I don’t know about you, but I can speak for myself,” she said. “If they are reinstated, I will not feel safe right here in my hometown, Lawton, Oklahoma.”