New Fatal Shooting in Ohio Ignites Fresh Outrage

By Staff- Agencies

The fatal shooting of an unarmed Black man by police in Columbus, Ohio -- US city's second such killing this month -- sparked a fresh wave of protests on Thursday against racial injustice and police brutality in the country.

This comes as the chief of the Columbus Division of Police in Ohio announced he is moving forward with terminating one of the department's officers after the fatal shooting of a Black man Tuesday morning.

Andre Maurice Hill, 47, was shot and killed by Officer Adam Coy within seconds of their encounter, as Hill walked toward Coy holding an illuminated cell phone in his left hand, body camera footage released Wednesday shows.

Columbus Police Chief Thomas Quinlan stated Thursday he filed two departmental charges alleging critical misconduct against Coy, and declared administrative investigations are underway regarding additional officers involved.

“Today is Christmas Eve. A time when we should be gathering with those we love," Quinlan said. "The family of Andre Hill has nothing to celebrate this holiday, someone very important won't be with them this holiday, or any other. A Columbus police officer is responsible for that. And that breaks my heart."

Quinlan said an officer's discipline or termination would typically include a hearing before the police chief, but Coy would not receive one in this instance after Quinlan reviewed body camera footage of the shooting.

"I have seen everything I need to see, to reach the conclusion that Officer Coy must be terminated immediately," Quinlan said.

"Some may call this a rush to judgment. It is not," he added. "This violation cost an innocent man his life."

Meanwhile, several dozen protestors gathered Thursday, waving Black Lives Matter signs and calling for justice for people killed in police shootings.

The killings in Columbus come after a summer in which the US was rocked by historic protests against racial injustice and police brutality, sparked by the May killing of African-American man George Floyd.

Floyd, also unarmed, suffocated beneath the knee of a white police officer in Minneapolis. Horrified passers-by filmed his death, with the footage swiftly going viral.