A Columbus, Ohio, police officer who shot and killed an unarmed black man seconds after the encounter was fired, officials said on Monday.
A hearing was held on Monday to determine whether Adam Coy should be fired because of the December 22 shooting against 47-year-old Andre Hill. Columbus Public Safety Director Ned Pettus heard the evidence in defense of the police officer, who was not present.
In a statement, Pettus said the disciplinary recommendation to fire the 19-year-old veteran of the department was “well supported and appropriate.”
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“Adam Coy’s actions do not live up to the oath of a Columbus police officer or the standards that we and the community demand of our officers,” he said. “Andre Hill’s murder is a tragedy for everyone who loved him, as well as the community and our Police Division.
Calls and messages to Pettus and Brian Steel, vice president of Capital City Lodge No. 9 of the Fraternal Police Order, were not returned.
Coy responded to a disturbance call about an SUV that had been turned on and off several times when he found Hill leaving a garage. Several seconds after meeting Hill, Coy opened fire.
Camera footage of the body of Columbus policeman Adam Coy captures the moments after he killed Andre Hill earlier this month. Coy was fired from the police.
(Columbus Police Division)
The policeman only turned on the body camera after the shooting. A look-back feature, which allows cameras to record the 60-second period before the camera is activated, captured the image without audio.
Hill and another officer walk to the driveway and find an open garage door. Hill takes several steps towards the policeman while holding what appears to be a cell phone in his left hand. Your right hand is not visible.
While Hill is on the ground, Coy – who then turns on the camera – yells for him to roll over. Several minutes pass before first aid is given. A preliminary report by the Franklin County Coroner’s Office determined that Hill’s death was a homicide. A full autopsy report is expected to be released in several weeks.
Coy has been the target of several complaints and issues involving alleged excessive force, reported The Columbus Dispatch.
The shooting was met with protests and calls for the policeman to be fired and prosecuted. Last week, Mayor Andrew Ginther asked that he be fired due to concerns about the failure to activate the body camera.
In response to Monday’s news, Ginther tweeted that Coy was fired “for not using reasonable force in accordance with Division policies, failing to activate his camera on his body and not assisting the dying Mr. Hill. the values of @ColumbusPolice. “
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The shooting is being investigated by the state’s Criminal Investigation Bureau, Ginther said in a follow-up tweet, adding that “We expect transparency, accountability and justice. The family and the whole community deserve it.”
It was not clear whether Coy would appeal the resignation.