A shocking bodycam video shows a police officer in Columbus, Ohio, shooting an unarmed black man who had a cell phone and opened fire just 10 seconds after he was found.
Columbus police officer Adam Coy was sent Tuesday around 1:30 a.m. to make a non-emergency call about a man who had been idling a car that turned him on and off repeatedly in the Cranbrook neighborhood.
Shortly after officers arrived, a black man later identified as Andre Maurice Hill, 47, who had been inside a garage, approached them on foot while holding a phone in his left hand and another hand not visible.
Then, images from Coy’s body camera showed him opening fire on Hill, just six seconds after Hill entered the painting.
No audio is available, as Coy did not activate the body camera until after filming, which only captured video due to an automatic “look back” feature.
Without audio, it’s unclear if Coy called any orders to Hill.
Hill’s right hand is not seen in the pictures, but authorities said no weapons were recovered from the site.
After being shot, Hill lay on the ground for a few minutes without any local agents giving any help. He died less than an hour later at a nearby hospital.
In a statement, police chief Thomas Quinlan described it as “a tragedy on many levels. The most important thing is that a life has been lost.”
Quinlan said he suspended Coy, a 17-year veteran, who demanded that he turn the gun and shield pending an internal review and investigation by state authorities.
Under his union contract, the officer will still be charged.
“In this case, the police chief directly observed what he believes may be critical misconduct and is taking action to alleviate the service until a disciplinary investigation can be completed,” Glenn McEntyre said. , spokesman for the city’s Department of Public Safety.
Public safety director Ned Pettus Jr. on Wednesday promised “a fair and impartial hearing” for Coy.
Mayor Andrew Ginther on Wednesday called for Coy to be ripped off by force.
“After a further review of the incident, today I call for the immediate termination of Coy … who failed in two directives: not to turn on the camera carried by the body and not to offer help after the shooting and not to provide assistance.” Said Ginther.
Meanwhile, Hill’s family has hired nationally known civil rights lawyer Ben Crump to represent them, according to the Columbus Dispatch.
With publishing cables