A former police officer from Columbus, Ohio, was convicted of murder on Monday for the 2020 shooting of Andre Hill, a Black man whose untimely death ignited protests against police brutality and led to significant reforms within the city’s law enforcement practices. A jury in Franklin County also found the officer, Adam Coy, who is white, guilty of two additional charges: felonious assault and reckless homicide. Following the verdict, Mr. Coy was taken into custody and is scheduled for sentencing on November 25.
“Today was fair,” expressed Shawna Barnett, one of Mr. Hill’s sisters, in a statement to local news station WBNS-10TV. “Justice spoke, and we got what we wanted. We got what was fair and right.”
Mr. Coy, who had dedicated 19 years of service to the Columbus police force, shot Mr. Hill on December 22, 2020. This incident occurred just weeks after a county sheriff’s deputy fatally shot another Black man in the city and mere months after the murder of George Floyd, which had catalyzed nationwide demonstrations against racism and police misconduct.
On the night of the shooting, Mr. Coy was responding to a call regarding a suspicious SUV parked in a residential neighborhood. Body camera footage revealed that Mr. Coy approached a garage and illuminated the area with his flashlight. As Mr. Hill approached the officers slowly, the footage shows Mr. Coy drawing his firearm and firing four shots at Mr. Hill.
During the trial, Mr. Coy and his defense team contended that he believed his life was in jeopardy at the moment he discharged his weapon, mistakenly thinking that Mr. Hill was armed. However, no weapon was recovered from the scene, as confirmed by city officials shortly after the incident.
In response to the verdict, Brian A. Steel, president of the Fraternal Order of Police lodge representing thousands of law enforcement officers in the county, stated that Mr. Coy’s actions were consistent with his training during a rapidly evolving situation. He said, “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.”
The impact of Mr. Hill’s death was felt deeply throughout the city. Mr. Coy was terminated from his position within days of the shooting for failing to activate his body camera and for not providing immediate assistance to Mr. Hill. About a month after the incident, the City Council enacted “Andre’s Law,” which mandates that officers must turn on their body cameras during all policing interactions and provide necessary medical aid when any injuries occur due to the use of force.
Mr. Hill was one of four Black residents who were fatally shot by law enforcement in Columbus in a span of just four months, from late 2020 into early 2021. In 2021, city officials agreed to a historic settlement of $10 million to Mr. Hill’s family, marking it as the largest payout ever made by the city in such cases.
Currently, three other law enforcement officers are awaiting trial on murder charges in separate cases within Franklin County, according to a spokesperson for the county prosecutor’s office.
