COLUMBUS, Ohio — A trial is set to commence Monday for a former Ohio police officer charged in the fatal shooting of Andre Hill, a Black man who was killed nearly four years ago while holding a cellphone.
Officer Adam Coy, a 17-year veteran with the Columbus police department, shot Hill while responding to a noise complaint from a neighbor. Following the incident on December 22, 2020, Coy was dismissed from the police force and has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including murder and reckless homicide. His attorney claims Coy believed Hill was armed with a silver revolver.
Jury selection for the trial is scheduled to begin Monday.
Coy responded to the neighborhood to address a resident’s complaint about noise from a vehicle when he encountered Hill.
Body camera footage captured the moment Hill emerged from a garage, holding a cellphone in his left hand. Coy fired at him moments later, and medical assistance for Hill was delayed by about ten minutes, during which he lay on the garage floor until he was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.
In the wake of the shooting, the mayor of Columbus dismissed the police chief amidst ongoing scrutiny of police actions in high-profile cases involving Black individuals. Hill’s family received a $10 million settlement from the city, marking the largest payout in its history. Additionally, Columbus City Council enacted Andre’s Law, mandating that police officers provide immediate medical care to injured suspects.
Coy has a documented history of complaints filed against him, totaling over three dozen since his hire in 2002, with several complaints concerning the use of force. Most of these were classified as “unfounded” or “not sustained.”
Coy’s defense team sought to relocate the trial, arguing that extensive media coverage would affect fairness. A message for the defense attorney was left ahead of the trial.
Andre Hill, a father and grandfather, was celebrated for his commitment to family, culinary talents, and aspirations of owning a restaurant.
