Columbus Police Chief Thomas Quinlan said on Thursday that he had filed two departmental charges alleging critical misconduct against Coy, and said administrative investigations were underway with respect to other officers involved.
“Today is Christmas Eve. A time when we should be meeting with those we love,” said Quinlan. “Andre Hill’s family has nothing to celebrate this holiday, someone very important will not be with them this holiday, or any other. A Columbus police officer is responsible for this. And it breaks my heart.”
Quinlan said the discipline or dismissal of a police officer would normally include a hearing before the chief of police, but Coy would receive none in this case, after Quinlan reviewed the footage of the shooting.
“I saw everything I need to see to come to the conclusion that Officer Coy should be fired immediately,” said Quinlan.
“Some may call this a hurry at the trial. It is not,” he added. “This violation cost an innocent man his life.”
Coy was suspended after the shooting pending a preliminary investigation. Coy will be notified of the charges against him today, Quinlan said.
As part of the reasoning behind one of the charges, in a memo obtained by the affiliate of CNN WBNS, Quinlan a Coy states: “Your actions were a gross violation of your oath as a Columbus police officer and, at the very least, demonstrate incompetence, gross negligence. duty, negligence, malfeasance and non-violation. “
CNN contacted Fraternal Order of Police Capital City Lodge No. 9, which represents the officer.
Quinlan said Coy will face an audience with the director of public security on Monday morning, where the director will decide on his recommendation to fire the officer
Coy and another police officer who answered the call on Tuesday were equipped with body cameras, but did not turn them on until after the shooting, according to the Department of Public Security. A function of the body-worn camera technology used by the Columbus police provides a 60-second retrospective view, but does not record any audio during that period, so any conversation before or during the shooting is not heard.
Coy answered the call shortly after 1:37 am, after an unidentified neighbor who called 911 reported that a man had been sitting in his SUV for a long time, starting and stopping the engine several times.
When the police arrived at the house, they found the garage door open and a man inside, city officials said.
The camera footage of the body captured in the 60-second look back shows a flashlight illuminating Hill, who walks beside a car towards the Coy cell phone in her left hand and her invisible right hand.
The officer, in seconds, retreats before firing his weapon, hitting Hill. When the audio starts, Coy orders Hill to put his hands to the side.
Hill died in the hospital just before 2:30 am. No weapons were found at the scene.
“I am a father and a grandfather. I cannot imagine the pain that Andre Hill’s family is feeling right now,” Quinlan said at the conclusion of his video on Thursday. “He was taken from them by violence. Avoidable violence. Meaningless violence. It didn’t have to happen, and it should never have happened. Andre Hill should be with his family this holiday. I ask this community to wrap their family in their arms and join come to me in prayer for your comfort. “
CNN’s David J. Lopez, Laurie Ure, Jennifer Henderson and Jessica Flynn contributed to this report.