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Protest in Ohio after Andre Hill's death: "An important and necessary step in the right direction"
Photo: MEGAN JELINGER / REUTERS
After fatal police shots at an unarmed African American, the US city of Columbus pays the relatives ten million dollars in compensation.
The family of the killed Andre Hill will "never be complete again," said attorney Zach Klein.
“Andre Hill will never bring any money back to his family.
But we think this is an important and necessary step in the right direction. "
Accordingly, the compensation of the equivalent of 8.3 million euros is the highest in the history of the city in the state of Ohio.
Hill's family thanked the city for doing "the right thing."
As part of the agreement, a sports hall will also be named after Hill.
A white police officer shot the 47-year-old on December 22nd last year.
The police had been called because a man repeatedly started and turned off a car in an open garage.
When Hill walked out of the garage with a cell phone in hand towards the arriving police officers, he was shot.
The later released officer said he believed Hill had a gun with him.
However, no weapon was found.
The ex-cop was charged with murder.
The incident took place seven months after the death of African American George Floyd during a brutal police operation in Minneapolis.
A jury in April found white ex-cop Derek Chauvin guilty of second degree murder and two other charges over Floyd's death.
The sentence is due to be announced on May 25th.
Floyd's relatives were awarded $ 27 million in compensation.
mjm / AFP