In the United States, outrage has arisen over police brutality after officers were involved in shooting an unarmed black man in Columbus, Ohio. Three weeks earlier, a similar case of police brutality had already occurred in the same city. The local police chief is now demanding the resignation of the officer who fired the deadly shots.
47-year-old Andre Maurice Hill was in a house garage on the night from Monday to Tuesday when the police approached him. He was there as a guest of the homeowner.
Footage from the bodycam of one of the police officers shows Hill walking up to the officers with a mobile phone in his left hand. His right hand is not visible. Seconds later, one of the agents, Adam Coy, opens fire.
Hill is hit several times and crashes to the ground. Although the man doesn’t die immediately, it takes a few more minutes for Coy and his colleague to come to help. Hill later succumbs to his injuries.
Mayor Andrew Ginther says he is “outraged” by Hill’s death. He “was an acquaintance of the residents of the house,” he says. “He was there as a guest, not as a burglar.” The fact that the two agents failed to address primary concerns to the victim.
“Our community is still hurt and done with the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and more recently Casey Goodson here in Columbus,” it said.
Dismissal
In Columbus, Ohio, the Chief of Police says that a cop who shot an unarmed black man in the city committed “an act of senseless violence” and should be fired immediately. Police Chief Thomas Quinlan announced his recommendation via a recorded video message he posted online on Friday. “This didn’t have to, and it should never have happened,” said Quinlan. “Andre Hill should be with his family this vacation.”
According to the police chief, two charges have been filed for misconduct by the involved cop, Adam Coy. One for “unreasonable use of deadly force,” the other for “failure to provide assistance.” Coy is currently suspended local media report.
A similar incident had occurred in Columbus three weeks ago. On December 4, another black man, 23-year-old Casey Goodson, was also killed by police bullets. Among other things, George Floyd’s death, a black American who was killed by a cop, sparked a wave of protests against police brutality and racism in the United States this year under the name ‘Black Lives Matter’.
