Former Columbus Police Officer Adam Coy Testifies at Andre Hill Shooting Trial

A former Columbus police officer said he fired four shots at a man leaving a northwest side garage in December 2020 because he was terrified of dying.

Adan Coy, 47 years old, took the stand Monday afternoon in his own defense at his trial in Franklin County Court of Common Pleas on charges of murder, felonious assault and manslaughter in the Dec. 22, 2020, fatal shooting of Andre Hill, 47, who was unarmed.

Coy tearfully described the shooting, saying he pulled out his gun, yelled “gun” and fired four shots after seeing Hill raise what Coy believed was a revolver in his right hand.

“What did you think was going to happen, Adam?” asked Mark Collins, one of Coy’s defense attorneys.

“I thought I was going to die,” Coy responded.

After seeing Hill fall to the ground and reach for the revolver he thought he saw, Coy said he saw a set of keys lying on the pavement.

“At that moment I knew I had made a mistake,” Coy said.

“If you had seen the keys in his hand, you would have fired a gun,” Collins asked.

“No sir, I wouldn’t,” Coy replied.

Deputy Chief Counsel Anthony Pierson questioned Coy about why Coy did not use the public address system in his patrol car to address Hill before approaching the garage.

Pierson asked Coy repeatedly about what he said and did to try to confront Hill before the shooting.

“Would you say I was obeying your orders?” Pierson asked.

“Partially, sir,” Coy replied.

Coy also said Hill did not walk like a “normal person” who would swing his arms as he walked.

“He walked with his right hand behind his legs,” Coy said.

“Would Mr. Hill still be alive if he were submissive to you?” Pierson asked Coy, who was not allowed to respond after the judge sustained an objection from Collins.

During about 90 minutes of testimony, Coy was never asked about his history as a police officer. Coy’s personnel file showed 90 citizen complaints filed against Coy in his 19 years with the division.

In 2012, Coy received a 160-hour suspension after an internal investigation and hearing determined he had used excessive force during a traffic stop.

The investigation found that Coy had slammed a suspect’s head into a patrol car when the suspect “tensed up” while handcuffed.

“I saw minor actions and movements… in an inflated manner due to my lack of concentration,” Coy told the inquest.

Jurors in the trial will hear Tuesday from another expert on police use of force called on Coy’s behalf. Prosecutors are expected to call a police use-of-force expert in rebuttal after the defense wraps up its case.

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