The city of Columbus will pay the family of André Hill, an unarmed Black man who was fatally shot by Columbus Police, a $10 million settlement. Credit: Bella Czajkowski | Editor-in-Chief
The city of Columbus has agreed to pay the family of André Hill — an unarmed 47-year-old Black man who was fatally shot by Columbus Police in December 2020 — a $10 million settlement.
Former CPD Officer Adam Coy shot Hill without turning his body camera on and said Hill had a gun on him, but no weapon was recovered at the scene. Officers did not administer medical aid to Hill for more than 10 minutes after he was shot, according to body camera footage from Amy Detweiler who was the other officer at the scene. Coy was indicted on felony charges in February.
Ben Crump, a nationally renowned civil rights attorney, co-counsel Richard W. Schulte and Michael Wright worked on the case, according to a press release. Crump said at the press conference the family appreciates the resolution and has now achieved more than many Black families will ever in their lifetime.
“The Hill family and their legal team, attorneys Ben Crump, Richard W. Schulte, and Michael Wright, want to thank the City of Columbus and its leaders for doing the right thing,” Hill’s family stated. “By agreeing to a financial resolution with the family and renaming the Brentnell Community Center Gymnasium after André Hill, now all those involved can begin to heal.”
As part of the settlement, the city agreed to rename Brentnell Community Center’s gym — where Hill often went — the André Hill Gymnasium.
“That was the gym he always took me to, and we’d play basketball, easter egg hunts and all the fun things that the recreation center used to do,” Karissa Hill, André Hill’s daughter said at a press conference Friday.
In February, the city also passed “André’s Law”, which requires police to activate their body cameras upon exiting their vehicles and to provide medical support at a scene.
According to reports, the settlement is the biggest in the city’s history; however, The Lantern has not been able to independently verify this claim.
Attorneys and Hill’s family said the settlement was fair retribution for the pain suffered.
“Today does mark a historic day for us — it’s a joyous day, but it’s also a sad day too because he’s not here,” Shawna Barnett, Hill’s sister said at the press conference.
