A former police officer from Ohio, who is white, took the stand on Monday to address the murder charges related to the shooting of Andre Hill. The officer, Adam Coy, stated that he fired four shots after claiming to see what he believed was a silver revolver in Hill’s hand as he exited a dark garage. Coy described the moment he rolled over Hill’s body, only to discover a set of keys, realizing then that he had made a grave mistake.

“I knew at that point I made a mistake,” Coy told the jury, struggling to hold back tears. “I was horrified. It was the worst night of my life.” Having served nearly two decades in the Columbus police department, Coy was dismissed after the incident four years ago. He explained that in his mind, his life was at risk when he wrongly identified the keys as a weapon.

Footage from the police body camera reveals Hill stepping out of a friend’s garage while holding a cellphone in his left hand; his right hand was out of view just seconds before Coy fatally shot him. Tragically, it took nearly ten minutes for officers present to assist Hill, who was left bleeding on the floor of the garage before being pronounced dead later at a hospital.

In the wake of Hill’s death in December 2020, the city’s mayor removed the police chief amid increased scrutiny over several high-profile cases involving the fatal shootings of Black men and children. The city later reached a $10 million settlement with Hill’s family, marking the largest payout in Columbus’s history. Additionally, local lawmakers enacted Andre’s Law, which mandates that police officers provide immediate medical assistance to any injured suspects.

Prosecutors have contended that Andre Hill complied with Coy’s orders and posed no threat, adding to the accusations against Coy, who also faces charges of reckless homicide and felonious assault. If convicted of murder, he could serve a life sentence.

Coy’s encounter with Hill began when he responded to a complaint about a running vehicle in the neighborhood. Upon meeting Hill, who conveyed he was awaiting a friend’s arrival, Coy initially perceived the man as indifferent but later grew suspicious. After observing Hill leave a house and enter a garage, Coy lost sight of him and began to suspect criminal intent.

Using a flashlight, Coy located Hill in the garage and called for him to present himself. When Hill moved towards him, Coy failed to clearly see Hill’s right hand and mistakenly identified an object he saw as a gun. He shouted “Gun! Gun!” before discharging his weapon.

Tributes from family and friends characterize Hill as a devoted father and grandfather. Known for his craftsmanship, he once had aspirations of owning his own restaurant after years of working as a chef and managing restaurants. In contrast, Coy’s record reveals a troubling history, with over three dozen complaints lodged against him since he joined the force in 2002, including roughly a dozen allegations related to the use of force. Most of these complaints were labeled as “unfounded” or “not sustained.”