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A Franklin County grand jury indicted former Columbus police officer Adam Coy, Wednesday evening, on a murder charge, coupled with two counts of dereliction of duty.
Coy failed to use his body camera and did not inform the other officer that he believed Hill presented a danger.
On December 22, 2020, Coy and another officer responded to a non-emergency call placed by Mr. Hill’s neighbor. Coy opened fire on Andre Hill, who had his hands in the air. Mr. Hill did not have any weapons on his person.
While Coy’s body camera was not activated, the “look back” feature provided information on just how quickly Coy opened fire on Mr. Hill. The “look back” feature captures video for 60 seconds prior to the shooting. It was clear from the video that Mr. Hill did not pose a threat to the officer.
Immediately following the shooting, Mr. Hill was handcuffed and rolled over by the officers. The officers did not provide any medical aid, and Mr. Hill later died from the officer’s gunshot wounds.
“The vast virtue of law enforcement is diminished by the very few bad actors among its ranks, and only by holding a bad actor accountable can that virtue be sustained,” Attorney General Mr. Yost said at a news conference. “Here’s what I mean in plain English: the same rules apply to everybody.”
According to family attorney Michael Wright, Mr. Hill’s family is pleased with the indictment, which they see as a first step in pursuing justice for Mr. Hill’s death. The extended Hill family said they grieve and fear for Black men and women, who are regularly seen as criminals by law enforcement.