The chief of police in Columbus, Ohio, is calling for the immediate resignation of a police officer seen deadly shooting an unarmed black man in a body camera released earlier this week.
Police chief Thomas Quinlan said in a statement on Thursday that he filed two departmental charges alleging critical misconduct against the policeman, Adam Coy, and is recommending his dismissal after an accelerated investigation sustained those charges.
Images from the body camera released by the department on Wednesday show Coy shot dead Andre Maurice Hill on Tuesday morning.
Coy can be seen with another police officer approaching Hill’s garage. About 47 seconds into the video, Hill can be seen walking out of his garage with a phone in one hand and his right hand is not visible. Coy appears to shoot Hill seconds later, and Hill can be seen falling to the ground.
Quinlan said he is bypassing the typical stage of a hearing before the chief of police to decide the determination of any offense or discipline based on viewing images from the body’s camera.
“I saw everything I need to see to conclude that Officer Coy should be fired immediately. Some may call this a hurry to judgment. It is not, ”Quinlan said.
“We have a police officer who violated his oath to comply with the rules and policies of the Columbus Police Division. And the consequences of this violation are so great that they require immediate action. This violation cost an innocent man his life, ”added Quinlan.
It’s Christmas Eve. Andre Hill’s family has nothing to celebrate this holiday. AN @ColumbusPolice The officer is responsible for that. That is why today I am announcing an action to fire Officer Adam Coy. VIDEO: https://t.co/weZJQXuTS9 pic.twitter.com/OkSct2EqXi
– Thomas Quinlan (@ChiefQuinlan) December 24, 2020
Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther (D) called for Coy’s “immediate termination”.
Eight Democratic state legislators in the area issued a joint statement calling the killing “horrible,” the Associated Press reported.
Lawmakers noted that local deputy sheriff Jason Meade shot dead 23-year-old Casey Goodson Jr. in an incident weeks before it sparked protests across the city.
“It is clear that the seeds of mutual distrust between this community and its police force have been planted,” the Democrats said in a joint statement, according to the AP. “This distrust is not just due to the deaths of Casey Goodson and Andre Hill, it only increases with each incidence of violence. There must be transparency and responsibility for the loss of life, as well as a commitment to change. “
Crowds gathered on Christmas Eve to protest, holding up posters of the Black Lives Matter in the Columbus neighborhood where Hill was shot dead, The Columbus Dispatch reported.
More than 100 people gathered for a vigil and protest on Thursday, the newspaper reported.