The Columbus Division of Police has released the raw body cam footage from the night of December 22, when 47-year old Andre Hill was shot and killed as he stood in a garage on Oberlin Drive.
Officer Amy Detwiler and now-fired officer Adam Coy responded to a non-emergency complaint about someone sitting in a parked car that was being turned on and off. Neither officer had their body camera turned on as they approached the driveway and garage, but a 60-second video only look-back feature shows Hill turn to face the police, raising his cellphone in his left hand, his right hand is not visible in the video. Coy pulled his service revolver and shot Hill several times.
After the officers turned on their cameras, the audio captures them securing the scene and ordering the home’s resident back into the house.
"Coy: Get me support.
Detwiler: Okay (into radio) 1930, we need officer support.
Dispatcher: I copy. 1930 I copy.
Home's resident: He was bringing me Christmas money! He didn't do anything!
Detwiler: Stay inside.
Home's resident: They tell me to come inside and lock the door... "
The video continues as Coy and Detwiler get crime scene tape from a cruiser, tape off the area, talk on the radio and to each other – but do not offer any aid to Hill as he lays on the ground. It’s five minutes after the shooting before Detwiler mentions medics.
Detwiler on radio: " 1930,we do not have one, we do need one."
Police Chief Thomas Quinlan says he was horrified by the lack of compassion shown in the videos.
"Adam Coy is the man who fired the shots that took Andre Hill's life... He now faces an independent criminal investigation by the state and by the U.S. Department of Justice.... There were many other officers who responded to the scene. None of them used deadly force, but as seen in these videos, few of them rendered first aid to Mr. Hill as they waited for a medic. We are investigating who upheld the policies and standards of the Columbus Division of Police, and who did not."
One of the Hill families attorneys, Ben Crump, says he's glad the video was released, because it shows the callous disregard for Hill's life.
"He was struggling for life for five minutes and 11 seconds. He's on the ground, struggling for breath and none of the police officers rendered medical assistance to him. Not one of them!"
While Police Chief Quinlan and Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther have promised swift action, and the police department has already begun tightening regulations on body cameras and rendering aid, Attorney Michael Wright says department inaction led to Hill's death.
"Adam Coy was hired in 2001. He's had over 90 complaints. If the Columbus Police Department would have done their job and terminated Officer Coy, Adam Coy, before this occurred... then we wouldn't be standing here today."
