Columbus police chief Thomas Quinlan said Thursday he filed two departmental charges alleging critical misconduct against Coy and said administrative investigations are being conducted into other officers involved.
“Today is Christmas Eve. It’s a time when we should be reunited with those we love,” Quinlan said. “Andre Hill’s family has nothing to celebrate this party, someone very important will not be with them this holiday, or any other. A Columbus police officer is responsible for this. And that breaks my heart.”
Quinlan said an officer’s discipline or termination would normally include a hearing before the police chief, but Coy would not receive any in this case after Quinlan reviewed footage from the shooting camera.
“I have seen everything I need to see to come to the conclusion that Officer Coy should be fired immediately,” Quinlan said.
“Some may call this a rush to trial. It’s not like that,” he added. “This rape cost the life of an innocent man.”
Coy had been suspended after the shooting pending a preliminary investigation. Coy will be notified of the charges against him today, Quinlan said.
As part of the reasoning behind one of the charges, in a note obtained by CNN affiliate WBNS, Quinlan a Coy states: “Your actions were a serious breach of your oath as a Columbus police officer and, as at the very least, they demonstrate incompetence, negligence of duty, ill-treatment, ill-treatment and lack of violence. “
CNN has contacted the Fraternal Order of the Lodge no. 9 of the capital city, representing the officer.
Quinlan said Coy will face a hearing with the director of public safety Monday morning, where the director will rule on his recommendation to fire the agent.
Coy and another officer who answered the call Tuesday were equipped with body cameras but did not turn them on until after the shooting, according to the Department of Public Safety. A feature of the body-worn camera technology used by Columbus police provides a 60-second look back, but does not record any sound during this period, so no conversation is heard before or during filming.
Coy answered the call shortly after 1:37 a.m., after an unidentified neighbor who called 911 reported that a man had been sitting in the SUV for an extended period of time, turning the engine on and off repeatedly.
When police arrived at the home, they found a garage door open and a man inside, city officials said.
Images from the body camera captured from the 60-second rear-view look show a lantern illuminating Hill, walking next to a car toward the Coy cell phone with his left hand and right hand invisible.
The officer, in a matter of seconds, backs away before firing the gun and hits Hill. When the audio comes on, Coy is heard ordering Hill to put his hands next to him.
Hill died at the hospital shortly before 2:15 p.m. No weapons were recovered at the scene.
“I’m father and grandfather. I can’t understand the pain Andre Hill’s family is feeling right now,” Quinlan said in the conclusion of his video statement Thursday. “Violence has taken him out. Avoidable violence. Senseless violence. This shouldn’t have happened, and never should have been. Andre Hill should be with his family this holiday. I ask this community let him wrap up his family. and join me in praying for his comfort. “
CNN’s David J. Lopez, Laurie Ure, Jennifer Henderson and Jessica Flynn contributed to this report.