Adam Coy, the now-fired member of the Columbus Police, was convicted of murder on Monday in connection with the Dec. 22, 2020, death of Andre Hill.
Coy was fired shortly after the 2020 incident as the city’s Mayor Andrew Ginther said that Coy failed to properly use his body-worn camera and render aid to Hill.
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Hill, a 47-year-old Black man from Columbus, was unarmed at the time of his death. The Franklin County Coroner’s Office confirmed that Hill was struck multiple times. Hill was seen on body-worn camera video walking toward Coy holding a cellphone in one of his hands when Coy shot him.
Coy told investigators that he thought he saw a gun in Hill's right hand.
Officers were called to the area on a report of a man sitting in an SUV, continually turning on and off the vehicle, police said.
"Andre Hill should still be alive today. I remain deeply committed to doing everything within our power to honor his memory, deliver justice to his family and prevent a tragedy like this from ever happening again," Ginther said in a statement following Monday's conviction.
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In the wake of Hill's death, the city approved "Andre's Law," which mandates officers to activate their body-worn camera during police enforcement and requires them to immediately render aid.
The police union representing Coy, the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 9, disagreed with the ruling.
“We mourn with the community over the tragic loss of Mr. Hill, but we stand firm in our belief that Officer Coy was subject to political and media bias that no one should face in a court of law,” said Brian Steel, president of FOP Lodge No. 9. “Today’s outcome reflects this environment, and we urge our community and its leaders to ensure that law enforcement officers receive fair treatment under the law—just as they work to uphold for others.”
