Ex-Columbus police officer charged with murder of Andre Hill

Former Columbus Police officer Adam Coy has been arrested and charged with murder, felonious assault, and dereliction of duty in connection with the shooting death of Andre Hill, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said on Wednesday.

On Dec. 22, Coy, a 19-year veteran of the force, and another officer responded to a call about a suspicious vehicle. Upon arrival, they found Hill, a 47-year-old Black man, inside a garage, and within seconds, Coy opened fire. Hill was holding a cell phone when he was shot. He was taken to an area hospital, where he died from his injuries.

Yost said his office served as a special prosecutor in the case, and Coy was arrested on Wednesday after being indicted by a grand jury. Coy did not activate his body camera until after the shooting, Yost said, which is why he was charged with dereliction of duty. The camera did have a feature that enabled it to capture what happened during the 60 seconds before it was turned on, but there was no audio.

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"Truth is the best friend of justice, and the grand jury here found the truth," Yost said. "Andre Hill should not be dead." Coy, who was fired a week after the shooting, is set to appear at a bail hearing on Thursday.