Police Officer Charged With Murder For Shooting Black Man Holding Phone, Keys

Former Columbus, Ohio police officer Adam Coy has been charged with murder for the killing of Andre Hill, a Black man who was shot while holding a cell phone in his friend’s garage.

Coy also faces a charge of felonious assault and two counts of dereliction of duty. The incident resulted in the firing of the city’s white police chief, according to The Washington Post.

The shooting occurred on Dec. 22 when Coy responded to a noise complaint, with reports of a man turning an SUV on and off. Coy approached the house and was greeted by Hill, who was holding up a cell phone in one hand.

Coy’s attorney, Mark Collins, says he mistook the silver key ring in Hill’s other hand for a gun, opening fire seconds after catching sight of Hill. Coy did not have his body camera turned on, but a “roll-back” function captured video of the 60 seconds prior to activation, including the shooting.

“Truth is the best friend of justice, and the grand jury here found the truth,” Dave Yost, Ohio’s attorney general, said at a press conference. “Andre Hill should not be dead.”

Protestors demonstrate against the police killing of Andre Hill in Columbus, Ohio, which sparked a fresh wave of outrage against racial injustice and police brutality AFP / STEPHEN ZENNER

The grand jury was also given the option to charge Coy with purposeful murder, but jurors opted not to. He is instead charged with murder in the commission of a felony, connected to his felonious assault charge. The two counts of dereliction of duty are for failure to turn on his body camera until after the shooting, and for not warning officers he felt Hill was a danger.

Another officer present during the shooting confirmed to The Columbus Dispatch that Coy shouted that Hill had a gun before opening fire. Collins says his client plans to plead not guilty, arguing that precedent states officers are alllowed to use force if their belief in a threat is “objectively reasonable.”

“That’s why he stepped back and yelled ‘gun, gun, gun’ and shot,” he said. “He was mistaken.”

Hill’s death led to the firing of Columbus’ chief of police, Thomas Quinlan, who mayor Andrew Ginther said had lost the faith of the community.

“It became clear to me that chief Quinlan could not successfully implement the reform and change I expect and that the community demands,” Ginther said told The Washington Post.