The Columbus, Ohio police chief is urging him to immediately shoot an officer seen fatally shooting an unarmed black man over body camera footage released earlier this week.
Police Chief Thomas Quinlan said Thursday in a statement that he filed two departmental charges accusing him of critical misconduct against the officer, Adam Coy, and recommended his termination after an expedited investigation has sustained those charges. .
Body camera images released Wednesday by the department show Coy fatally shooting Andre Maurice Hill on Tuesday morning.
Coy can be seen with another officer approaching Hill’s garage. About 47 seconds into the video, Hill can be seen coming out of his garage with a phone in one hand and his right hand not visible. Coy seems to shoot Hill a few seconds later, and Hill can be seen falling to the ground.
Quinlan said he is skipping the typical step of a hearing before the police chief to decide the determination of any misconduct or discipline based on viewing body camera images.
“I’ve seen everything I have to see to come to the conclusion that Officer Coy should be fired immediately. Some may call this a rush to trial, it’s not,” Quinlan said.
“We have an officer who violated his oath to comply with the rules and policies of the Columbus Police Division. And the consequences of this violation are so great that they require immediate action. This rape cost the life of an innocent man, “Quinlan added.
It’s Christmas Eve. Andre Hill’s family has nothing to celebrate this holiday. A @ColumbusPolice The officer is responsible. That is why today I am announcing an action to dismiss Officer Adam Coy. VIDEO: https://t.co/weZJQXuTS9 pic.twitter.com/OkSct2EqXi
– Thomas Quinlan (@ChiefQuinlan) December 24, 2020
Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther (D) called for Coy’s “immediate termination.”
Eight Democratic state lawmakers in the area issued a joint statement calling the assassination “horrific,” The Associated Press reported.
Lawmakers noted that a local sheriff’s deputy, Jason Meade, fatally shot 23-year-old Casey Goodson Jr. in an incident a few weeks before it sparked protests across the city.
“It is clear that the seeds of mutual mistrust between this community and its police force have been sown,” Democrats said in the joint statement, according to the AP. “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. ”.
Crowds gathered on Christmas Eve to protest, with Black Lives Matter posters in the Columbus neighborhood where Hill was fatally shot, The Columbus Dispatch reported.
More than 100 people gathered on Thursday to hold a vigil and protest, the newspaper reported.