COLUMBUS, Ohio — A grand jury has indicted a former Columbus police officer on four charges, including murder, in the fatal shooting of an unarmed Black man, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced Wednesday.

Andre Hill, 47, had committed no crime when former officer Adam Coy fatally shot him in December, officials said.

According to a booking log, Coy was indicted on charges of murder, felonious assault, and two charges of dereliction of duty. All four charges are listed as felonies.

One of the counts of dereliction was related to his failure to activate his body worn camera and the other pertained to Coy not informing his fellow officer there was a danger, Yost said.

Coy will have his initial appearance in court Thursday, Yost said. Coy was arrested at his attorney's office Wednesday.

According to Yost, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office was asked to serve as a special prosecutor in the case. Yost said in accordance with his police, any case in which an officer faces a potential murder charge after a shooting is presented before a grand jury.

Coy was in custody, according to the Franklin County sheriff's office.

Yost said his office will vigorously prosecute this case and he believes the evidence supports the charges.​

Officials Weigh In On Indictment

Gov. Mike DeWine said Thursday during a press conference, “Well, police officers across the state, the vast, vast majority of them are amazing people… There are police officers who are not doing a good job. I have great faith in the criminal justice system, and the grand jury makes the decision, the system is, in fact, working. Someone’s indicted, you have to presume everyone’s innocent until their trial. That is what we all have to do. But the system is working. To the family of the victim, my heart goes out to you. A horrible, horrible tragedy.”

President Keith Ferrell Capital City Lodge No. 9 Fraternal Order of Police said in a statement Wednesday Coy will have the opportunity to present a defense at a trial. 

"A jury of independent civilians has reviewed facts of the shooting case involving former officer Coy. They have made the decision to indict him based on this and he will have the ability to present the facts on his behalf at a trial just like any other citizen. At that time, we will see all the facts for the first time with the public as the process plays out,” Ferrell said. 

Mayor Andrew Ginther said Wednesday night the grand jury made the right decision.

“The community was outraged by the killing of Andre Hill, an unarmed Black man, by law enforcement. The indictment does not lessen the pain of his tragic death for Mr. Hill’s loved ones, but it is a step towards justice. I thank the grand jury for their service,” he said in a statement.

It was the first time Ginther has said he believes Coy should spend time behind bars. Previously, he declined to comment, allowing the investigation to play out. The mayor has advocated for reforms since the shooting, including a law approved by City Council that requires officers to request EMS after any use-of-force incident resulting in severe injuries.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents Hill's family, also responded to the decision in a written statement, saying:

“We are encouraged by the decision of the grand jury to hold Office Coy accountable for his reckless action, resulting in the tragic death of Andre Hill," he said. "Officer Coy claimed, ‘there’s a gun in his other hand,’ while Andre clearly held a phone. Though nothing will bring back Andre’s life and relieve his family’s grief, this is an important step toward justice.” 

The Ohio Attorney General's Bureau of Criminal Investigation performed the investigation at the request of the city of Columbus. Coy will be arraigned in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas criminal division.

“After a brief interaction with the man, Andre Hill, Officer Coy stated that he saw, or thought he saw a gun in Hill’s right hand and fired his service weapon killing Hill,” Yost said.“No weapon was found on the scene.”

Activists, Officials Demand Justice

Hill was fatally shot by Coy in a garage while dropping off a Christmas gift at a friend's home.

The mayor said Coy’s failure to render medical aid or activate his body-worn camera showed he was no longer fit to serve and protect city residents.

City officials joined Hill’s family at his memorial service, where Rev. Al Sharpton said firing Coy is not enough and demanded criminal charges.

“If anyone in this church walked out of this church and unjustifiably killed somebody, we would not go to their job and get them fired, we would go to the court and get them prosecuted,” Sharpton said.

Columbus Police Chief Ousted

The mayor announced last week former Columbus Division of Police Thomas Quinlan had been ousted because he was unable to carry out his envisioned reforms.

Ginther also announced a $4.5 million investment in new technologies to improve the quality of body-worn cameras in Columbus. On Wednesday, Gov. Mike DeWine announced a $10 million investment in police cameras.

Last Thursday, Ginther issued a statement announcing Quinlan would not remain in the role.

“It became clear to me that Chief Quinlan could not successfully implement the reform and change I expect and that the community demands. Columbus residents have lost faith in him and in Division’s ability to change on its own. Chief Quinlan understood. He agreed to step back, so the city can move forward. I appreciate Chief Quinlan’s service to the community and the changes he was able to implement in his time as chief,” the statement said.

 Deputy Chief Mike Woods was named interim chief while the city begins a national search for a permanent replacement.