A former Columbus, Ohio, police officer was found guilty of murder on Monday for the 2020 shooting of Andre Hill, a Black man, an incident that ignited protests against police brutality and led to reforms in the city.
A Franklin County jury also convicted the officer, Adam Coy, who is white, on two additional charges of felonious assault and reckless homicide. Following the verdict, Mr. Coy was taken into custody and is scheduled to be sentenced on November 25.
Shawna Barnett, one of Mr. Hill’s sisters, expressed her satisfaction with the verdict, stating, “Today was fair. Justice spoke, and we got what we wanted. We got what was fair and right,” in a comment to a local news station.
Mr. Coy, who served on the Columbus police force for 19 years, shot Mr. Hill on December 22, 2020, shortly after another incident in which a county sheriff’s deputy killed a Black man. This shooting occurred just months after George Floyd’s murder prompted nationwide protests against racism and police brutality.
During the incident, Mr. Coy and another officer responded to a call about a suspicious SUV. Body camera footage revealed that Mr. Coy approached a garage and shined a light inside, and as Mr. Hill walked toward the officers, Mr. Coy drew his gun and shot Mr. Hill four times.
During the trial, Mr. Coy and his legal team argued that he believed his life was at risk as he thought Mr. Hill was armed. However, no weapon was recovered at the scene, as confirmed by the city shortly after the shooting.
Brian A. Steel, president of the Fraternal Order of Police lodge representing law enforcement officers in the county, stated that Mr. Coy acted based on his training in a rapidly changing situation. He acknowledged the tragedy of Mr. Hill's death but asserted that Mr. Coy faced undue political and media bias.
Mr. Hill’s death had significant repercussions in the community. Mr. Coy was terminated from his position shortly after the incident for failing to activate his body camera and for not providing immediate aid to Mr. Hill. Subsequently, the City Council enacted “Andre’s Law,” mandating that officers activate their body cameras during interactions and provide medical assistance if they inflict injuries through the use of force.
Mr. Hill was one of four Black individuals fatally shot by law enforcement in Columbus during a four-month period from late 2020 to early 2021.
In a landmark settlement, city officials agreed to pay Mr. Hill’s family $10 million in 2021, marking the largest payout in the city’s history.
Additionally, three other law enforcement officers are currently awaiting trial on murder charges in separate cases in Franklin County, as reported by a spokesman for the county prosecutor’s office.