USA TODAY International Edition
Ex- cop indicted in death of Black man
Ohio man charged with one count of murder
An Ohio grand jury has indicted former Columbus police officer Adam Coy in the shooting death of Andre Hill, an unarmed Black man.
Coy, who was fired after the December shooting of Hill, 47, was charged with one count of murder, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced Wednesday night at a virtual news conference.
“( Police) undertake the increasingly difficult and dangerous task of protecting our communities, but every person is responsible for and judged by his or her own actions,” Yost said. “Neither guilt nor virtue may be assumed by association.
“The grand jury found the truth: Andre Hill should not be dead.”
Coy, who is white, responded with another officer on Dec. 22 to a nonemergency disturbance call about a parked SUV that had been running on and off for a period of time. Hill was inside a garage and an expected guest at that home. About 10 seconds after encountering him, Coy fired his service weapon at Hill multiple times.
Neither Coy nor the other officer turned on their body cameras until after the shooting. The shooting itself was captured on video, with no audio.
The video shows officers getting out of their cruisers and walking up the driveway to the open garage door at the home. Hill has his back turned to officers. He turns around and takes four steps toward the officers with his cellphone up in his left hand and his right hand not visible.
Coy then shoots Hill. The audio now on, Coy tells Hill to roll over, saying he can’t see his right hand. Coy asks if a medic is coming but doesn’t provide initial aid.
Coy, 44, is also facing one count of felonious assault and two counts of dereliction of duty – one for failing to turn on his body camera when he responded to the scene and another for failing to inform his fellow officer that he felt Hill presented a danger.
Coy was arrested Wednesday afternoon, Yost said. Coy had a history of complaints and issues with excessive force as a police officer.
Mayor Andrew Ginther praised the grand jury’s decision.
“The community was outraged by the killing of Andre Hill, an unarmed Black man, by law enforcement,” Ginther said.
“The indictment does not lessen the pain of his tragic death for Mr. Hill’s loved ones, but it is a step towards justice.”