A former police officer, Adam Coy, was convicted of murder on Monday in the fatal shooting of Andre Hill, a 47-year-old Black man. The incident occurred in December 2020, when Hill, who had a cellphone and keys in his hands, was shot four times by Officer Coy in a garage. Prosecutors argued that Coy acted recklessly, but he claimed he thought Hill was holding a silver revolver.
The jury found Coy guilty of murder, as well as reckless homicide and felonious assault. The verdict was met with relief from Hill’s family and friends, who said it sends a message that violence from police will not be tolerated. “We’re taught to do what the cops tell us to do and we can survive that encounter,” said Franklin County assistant prosecutor Anthony Pierson.
Coy, who is undergoing cancer treatments for Hodgkin lymphoma, faces at least 15 years in prison. His defense team plans to appeal the verdict. The shooting sparked a series of fatal police shootings of Black men and children in Columbus, leading to changes in the city’s policies and practices.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/police-officer-andre-hill-trial-verdict-7c9405baf78daf4394cb74df9ad2191e