COLUMBUS – The attorney for the family of Andre Hill says Wednesday’s indictment of the white Columbus police officer who shot the unarmed 47-year-old Black man is “an important step toward justice.”
Former officer Adam Coy was indicted on a murder charge by a Franklin County grand jury following an investigation by the Ohio Attorney General’s office, the latest fallout following the shooting death of Hill on the Northwest Side Dec. 22, attorney general Dave Yost announced.
The 19-year veteran of the Division of Police was also charged with felonious assault and two counts of dereliction of duty for failing to use his body camera and to tell the other officer with him that he believed Hill presented a danger, Yost said.
Coy was arrested without incident Wednesday afternoon and is awaiting arraignment. His attorney says Coy will plead not guilty.
Coy and another officer responded to a neighbor’s nonemergency call on Oberlin Drive after 100 a.m. on about a car in front of his house that had been running, then shut off, then turned back on.
City leaders echoed Crump’s support of the indictment.
“The community was outraged by the killing of Andre Hill, an unarmed Black man, by law enforcement. The indictment does not lessen the pain of his tragic death for Mr. Hill’s loved ones, but it is a step towards justice. I thank the grand jury for their service.” – Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther
“Officer Adam Coy has been arrested and indicted for murder. Tonight we have partial justice — true justice would be if Andre’ Hill was still with us today. I’m appreciative for Attorney General Yost’s cooperation and deliberative action. Officer Coy’s indictment means that the appropriate authority plans to prosecute this case and will seek a conviction. I look forward to continuing to push reform with the goal that no one loses their life at the hands of law enforcement.” -Columbus Council President Shannon Hardin.
A statement from the office of the Chief of Police just acknowledged that the division was aware of the indictment.
“The Columbus Division of Police is aware of the grand jury’s decision to indict former employee Adam Coy. The Division respects the rule of law. We will continue to fully cooperate with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office.” –Office of Columbus Chief of Police
Police bodycam footage showed Hill emerging from a garage and holding up a cellphone in his left hand seconds before he was fatally shot by Coy. There is no audio because Coy hadn’t activated the body camera. an automatic “look back” feature captured the shooting without audio.
In the moments after Hill was fatally shot, additional bodycam footage shows two other Columbus officers rolled Hill over and put handcuffs on him before leaving him alone. No officers are seen offering Hill first aid as he lay, barely moving, groaning and breathing on the garage floor.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation investigated the shooting and turned its findings over to a prosecutor who presented the case to a grand jury, Yost said.
The Special Prosecution section in Yost’s office has been appointed by the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office to prosecute the case.