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Columbus police chief recommends termination of officer who fatally shot Black man

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Posted at 4:57 PM, Dec 24, 2020
and last updated 2020-12-24 18:12:56-05

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus police chief announced action to terminate the officer who fatally shot a Black man. He also filed two departmental charges alleging critical misconduct against Officer Adam Coy.

"After an expedited investigation, I have sustained those charges. Based on these findings I am recommending discipline of termination of Officer Adam Coy," Police Chief Tom Quinlan said in a video that was uploaded to the police department's Facebook page on Thursday.

Bodycam footage released Wednesday showed Officer Coy approaching an open garage and Andre' Hill, who was seen walking out of the garage while holding up a phone in his left hand.

Quinlan said Coy would be served a notice of the charges Thursday, and his recommendations would go to Public Safety Director Ned Pettus Jr.Coy will have a hearing with Pettus on Monday, Quinlan said, with a decision being announced following the hearing.

Quinlan said he bypassed a hearing himself before recommending Office Coy be disciplined.

"Like all of you, I witnessed his critical misconduct firsthand via his body-worn camera," Quinlan said in the video. "I have seen enough to conclude that Officer Coy must be terminated immediately."

Quinlan added that there are also two administrative investigations underway that will investigate Coy's unreasonable use of deadly force, failure to activate his bodycam, and his failure to render aid to Hill, and also investigating the additional officers involved in the case who either failed to activate their bodycams or their failure to render aid to Hill.

Coy was relieved of duty on Tuesday, Columbus police confirmed.