The Columbus, Ohio, police chief recommended Thursday that officer shot and killed Andre Hill, a 47-year-old black man, to be fired earlier this week.
Police Chief Thomas Quinlan said in a statement that he filed two departmental charges accusing him of critical misconduct against Officer Adam Coy in Hill’s death following an expedited investigation. His cessation recommendation now goes to the city’s director of public safety; a hearing is scheduled for Monday.
Quinlan expressed discouragement that Hill could not celebrate Christmas with his family and rejected any criticism that might be in favor of the trial.
“Like all of you, I witnessed his critical behavior first hand through his body-worn camera,” he said. “I have seen everything I need to come to the conclusion that Officer Coy must be dismissed immediately.”
The video showed Hill coming out of a garage and holding a cell phone in his left hand seconds before an officer identified as Coy was fatally murdered in the early hours of Tuesday.
About six seconds pass between the time Hill is visible in the video and when the officer fires the gun. There is no audio because the agent had not activated the body camera; an automatic “look back” function captured the shot without audio.
Quinlan on Thursday informed Coy of the charges against him, which investigated his irrational use of deadly force, lack of body camera activation and help Hill after he was killed. Emails sent to the police union representing Columbus officers were not returned immediately.
The dismissal recommendation came as public pressure increased in the case.
Eight lawmakers from the area’s Democratic state issued a statement calling the murder “horrible,” for following so closely the shooting death of 23-year-old Casey Goodson Jr., another black man. at the hands of a Franklin County Sheriff’s Deputy on December 4th.
“It is clear that the seeds of mutual mistrust between this community and its police force have been sown,” they said. “This mistrust does not only come from the deaths of Casey Goodson and Andre Hill, but has expanded with each incidence of violence. There must be transparency and accountability for the loss of lives, as well as a commitment to change. “.
Protesters also gathered in a cold Christmas night drizzle to demand justice for Hill’s death.