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The police chief said “few” officers had rendered assistance before the medics arrived, and the mayor said he was “horrified” by the time that elapsed before the medics arrived. a policeman is not trying to provide help.
The two promise responsibility following a full investigation after dozens of investigative documents – including body camera videos – were released by the department on Thursday.
Chief Thomas Quinlan said that although response officers did not use lethal force, “few provided first aid to Mr. Hill while waiting for a doctor.”
Mayor Andrew J. Ginther echoed the chief’s sentiment in a statement saying: “I am horrified by the time that elapsed before an officer provided assistance to Mr. Hill.”
“Our officers are trained to provide potentially life-saving care and, at the very least, reassurance in these situations,” he said.
Both say one of the core values of the Columbus Police Division is “compassion,” and little or none of it has been posted as evidenced by the video.
Hill’s family and their attorney said the body camera images were further evidence that his death was “unnecessary and unjustifiable.”
Ginther said he ordered the chief “to fully and thoroughly investigate the events of December 22 and hold any officers who failed to meet Division standards to account.”
“We are investigating who supported the policies and standards of the Columbus Police Division, and who did not,” Quinlan said, noting that many of the videos and interviews are part of this process.
CNN reached out to Coy’s attorney for comment on Thursday’s criticism from the mayor and police chief.
Coy’s body camera did not capture the audio because he only activated it after the shot was taken. But a rollback feature captured 60 seconds of video with no audio before Coy turned on his camera.
Coy and the other agent had been dispatched on a disturbance call for someone “who keeps restarting a gray SUV” and encountered Hill inside a garage. The two had their guns drawn and approached from an angle from opposite sides, according to his interview.
Coy asked Hill to get out of the garage and Hill did not respond verbally but started to walk out of the garage.
Hill’s left hand was holding a cell phone, but his right hand was “hidden behind his leg.” According to published records, Hill allegedly dropped his left hand before Coy shot him, but it is not clear from Coy’s video.
Quinlan said he had recently tightened policies on body-worn cameras and the duty to provide first aid.
“As a police chief and as a human being, the events of the past week have left me shocked and heartbroken for the family of Andre Hill,” Quinlan said. “I will not tolerate a repeat of these failures. And where officers failed, they will be held accountable.”
Family criticizes police response after video was released
Lawyer Ben Crump spoke to reporters after the body camera footage was released, praising the city for its transparency efforts, but asked, “Where is humanity for Andre Hill?”
“What is Andre Hill’s crime?” Crump said. “Is it because he’s a black man, and for some reason the US police shoot first and ask questions later?”
His family also reacted to the footage, saying it was horrible to watch.
“No one had any kind of human emotion or sympathy for this breathless dying man,” said Alvin Williams, Hill’s younger brother. “And then you hold him worse than a caged animal.” Not just for Columbus, Ohio, I say this for all the police forces across this country. Your hunting season is over.
The family also stressed that they are keen to ensure that such a situation does not happen again.
“We have to change things,” said Michelle Hairston. “Because no one should have to keep going through this. We shouldn’t be going through this over and over again. We need something to happen.”
Crump also said that Clarissa Hill, daughter of Andre Hill, wanted to work on legislation to force officers to have their body cameras or be fired.
The family described Hill as a kind man with a variety of interests including chess, cooking, and helping his family with projects around the house.
CNN’s Peter Nickeas and Sonia Moghe contributed to this report.
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