https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/feb/12/california-police-shooting-willie-mccoy
Six California officers fire shots at rapper who had been asleep in car, killing him
Willie McCoy was startled awake and fatally shot by Vallejo police at Taco Bell, prompting family to allege racial profiling
Sam Levin in Oakland
@SamTLevin
Wed 13 Feb 2019 17.27 GMT First published on Tue 12 Feb 2019 23.15 GMT
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Willie McCoy had been sleeping in his car outside a Taco Bell, authorities said. Photograph: Courtesy David Harrison
California police officers fatally shot a 20-year-old rapper who was sleeping in his car outside a Taco Bell, authorities said.
Six Vallejo officers fired “multiple rounds” at the man, identified by family as Willie McCoy, police said. McCoy had a handgun on him when the officers fired out of “fear for their own safety” on Saturday night, according to the department. The family of McCoy, whose rapper name was Willie Bo, said Tuesday that police had racially profiled the young black man and that there was no justification for using deadly force against someone who was sleeping and not a threat.
“There was no attempt to try to work out a peaceful solution,” Marc McCoy, Willie’s older brother, told the Guardian. “The police’s job is to arrest people who are breaking the law – not take the law into your own hands. You’re not judge, jury and executioner … We’re never going to get over this.”
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Police said officers were checking up on McCoy after a Taco Bell employee called 911 and said a man was “slumped over” behind the wheel of his car at the fast-food restaurant drive through on Saturday at around 10.30pm. McCoy was unresponsive and had a handgun on his lap, police said, adding that the doors were locked and the car was on. After they called for backup, McCoy “suddenly” moved, officials said in a statement.
Police further alleged that officers told him to “keep his hands visible” but that he “quickly moved his hands downward for the firearm”. Police said six officers all fired shots within roughly four seconds, but they did not disclose the number of bullets that struck McCoy. The officers continued shouting commands before removing him from the vehicle and “rendering medical assistance”. He died on the scene. Police have not yet confirmed his identity and said an autopsy was pending.
The killing of McCoy follows numerous scandals involving alleged police brutality against black residents in Vallejo, a diverse city 30 miles north-east of San Francisco. A 2017 video captured a Vallejo officer straddling a man on the ground and repeatedly striking him in the face. Another violent arrest went viral last year, with a video showing an officer striking a man on the ground with a flashlight or baton. Last month, a Marine veteran accused a Vallejo officer of assaulting him while he was filming the arrest of his cousin.
“No one trusts the police in Vallejo,” said David Harrison, McCoy’s cousin. “We are being targeted … Police have a campaign of executing young black men who fit a certain profile. Willie dressed the part. He represents hip-hop music. They are profiled.”
Marc, Willie’s 50-year-old brother, said he suspected police had startled Willie awake, and that they should have ordered him out of the car with a bullhorn instead of approaching him and quickly firing fatal shots after he woke up.
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McCoy, right, with his cousin David Harrison. Photograph: Courtesy David Harrison
“Police are trained to shoot first and hurt you first,” he said. “They do not respect black people. Even when they have a person subdued and their life is not in danger, they continue to be blatantly physically disrespectful. That is just accepted in America.”
Willie had a difficult childhood, losing both his parents at a young age, said Marc, adding: “He was very ambitious about music. He was passionate.” Willie rapped in a group called FBG. Vallejo is the hometown of many successful rappers and musicians.
Willie loved spending time with his nieces and nephews and making music with his relatives, and he treated his friends like family, said Harrison: “If you needed a few dollars, he was there. If you needed a ride, he was there.”
Some of Willie’s relatives were so distraught, “they can’t even really talk about it”, Marc added. “They are just locked up in the house, crying themselves to sleep.”
There have been two high-profile cases in the broader Bay Area of police fatally shooting people after waking them up, prompting civil rights litigation. Last year, four officers in Oakland shot a homeless man who was armed and sleeping between two houses when they arrived, prompting an excessive force lawsuit that the family filed last week, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
In 2015, Oakland police killed a man who was passed out in his car, with officials claiming that he abruptly woke up and reached toward a gun on the passenger seat. His family was awarded a $1.2m settlement.
Willie’s family said the involved officers should face criminal prosecution.
“We cannot fathom why they would have to shoot him. This was senseless … shooting a man sleeping in his car,” said Harrison. “We want to make sure this never happens again to another person.”
- The headline of this article was amended on 13 February 2019 to clarify that police said Willie McCoy was awake when he was fatally shot
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...er-taco-bell-vallejo-california-a8776571.html
Vallejo police provide update after rapper was shot dead
Willie McCoy: Rapper shot dead by six police officers in California as he slept in car outside Taco Bell
Family of rapper shot dead by police deny he was a danger to officers
- Andrew Buncombe Seattle @AndrewBuncombe
- Wednesday 13 February 2019 10:37
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The Independent US
A young rapper shot dead by police as he slept in his car was not threatening officers as they claimed, his family has insisted.
Police have confirmed the identity of the young man they shot in the parking lot of a Taco Bell fast-food restaurant as 21-year-old Willie McCoy, who was known as Willie Bo, and performed with the group FBG.
Officers in Vallejo, California, said they had gone there after restaurant staff called 911 to report seeing a person slumped over the seat of a silver Mercedes.
In a statement, the Vallejo Police Department said as officers approached the vehicle, the “driver began to suddenly move and looked at the uniformed patrol officers”.
“Officers gave the driver several commands to put his hands up. The driver did not comply and instead he quickly moved his hands downward for the firearm,” it said of Saturday’s incident. “Fearing for their safety, six officers fired their duty weapons at the driver.”
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The family of the young man has disputed the account of the police, and claimed what happened is just the latest example of a young black man being shot and killed by police without justification.
“It’s a really big loss. Really, really unexpected,” Mr McCoy’s cousin, David Harrison, told the San Francisco Chronicle.
“There’s a lot of grieving going on, trying to make sense of this thing.”
The newspaper said that a semi-automatic handgun recovered at the scene had been reported stolen in Oregon and was fully functional when officers found it, according to police.
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It said it was unknown how Mr McCoy obtained the firearm.
Mr Harrison later posted a video on Facebook in which he said: “You can’t just keep killing us in the street like this. My cousin was asleep in the car and they shot him 20 times.”
Another cousin, Levonte Cole, told KTVU-TV: “Willie was a good person he didn’t deserve that. I have no words for Vallejo police.
“They’re supposed to protect and serve. They’re not supposed to shoot to kill.”
https://www.stlucianewsonline.com/r...ap-shot-dead-by-6-california-police-officers/
Rapper sleeping in car with gun on his lap shot dead by 6 California police officers
By SKY NEWS
February 13, 2019
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Willie McCoy was a ‘goodhearted kid’, says his cousin. Pic: David Harrison
(SKY NEWS) — Six police officers have shot dead a man they found asleep in his car with a gun on his lap, authorities in California said.
Police have not yet officially named him, but family members say he was Willie James McCoy, a 20-year-old aspiring rapper.
The shooting happened on 9 February in Vallejo, about 35 miles north of San Francisco, after staff at a Taco Bell restaurant reported a man slumped over in a car.
Police said in a statement they found the driver “unresponsive” with a gun on his lap.
The two officers did not try to wake him but called for back-up and planned to quietly take the weapon from the car.
Vallejo Police said the car was locked and its transmission in drive.
“While officers were still positioning a patrol unit to the rear of the vehicle, and waiting for the [police] supervisor, the driver began to suddenly move and looked at the uniformed patrol officers,” said the statement.
“Officers gave the driver several commands to put his hands up. The driver did not comply and instead he quickly moved his hands downward for the firearm.
“Fearing for their safety, six officers fired their duty weapons at the driver.”
Police said the officers fired “multiple rounds” for around four seconds before reaching through the broken glass to unlock the car and remove the man.
He died at the scene despite attempts to resuscitate him.
The gun recovered was fully loaded and reported stolen from Oregon, police said.
David Harrison, 48, told the Los Angeles Times that the man killed was his cousin, Willie James McCoy, and described him as a “goodhearted kid”.
He said Mr McCoy had been at a studio recording music earlier in the day and had just finished touring with his family, so must have been tired.
In a Facebook video, Mr Harrison criticised the police and said they “can’t just keep killing us in the streets like this”.
“My little cousin was asleep in the car – they shot him 20 mother******* times,” he said.
The 20-year-old’s brother, Marc McCoy, told the Guardian there “was no attempt to try to work out a peaceful solution”.
He said: “The police’s job is to arrest people who are breaking the law – not take the law into your own hands. You’re not judge, jury and executioner … We’re never going to get over this.”
Vallejo police chief Andrew Bidou said “any loss of life is a tragedy” and the investigation was still in the early stages.
“Information confirming the driver’s identity, how many times the driver was struck by gunfire, and toxicology will not be available until the autopsy is completed,” added the police statement.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...six-officers-parked-Taco-Bell-drive-thru.html
Rapper, 21, who was found 'unresponsive' in his car parked in a Taco Bell drive-thru is shot dead by six cops after he 'suddenly reached for his gun' but his family insists he was asleep
- Willie McCoy, 21, was shot dead by six officers outside a Taco Bell on Saturday
- McCoy was said to be slumped over in his car while parked in the drive-through
- Responding officers said they saw handgun in his lap and he was 'unresponsive'
- When they tried to secure the area, McCoy suddenly moved and reached for gun
- The officers, fearing for their lives, then fired multiple rounds into the vehicle
Published: 21:09 GMT, 12 February 2019 | Updated: 22:11 GMT, 12 February 2019
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A California rapper, who was shot dead by six cops while sitting inside his car in a Taco Bell drive-through over the weekend, was sleeping and not threatening officers, according to his family.
Willie McCoy, a local rapper known as Willie Bo with the group FBG, had parked his silver Mercedes in the drive-through line of the restaurant around 10.36pm on Saturday.
One of the restaurant employees called police and reported that a man appeared to be slumped over in his seat, according to a press statement from the Vallejo Police Department.
Upon arrival to the Taco Bell at 974 Admiral Callaghan Lane, two officers approached the vehicle and 'noticed the driver was unresponsive and had a handgun on his lap'.
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California rapper, Willie McCoy (left and right), 21, was shot dead by six cops on Saturday while inside his car that was parked in a Taco Bell drive-through
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One of the restaurant employees called police and reported that a man appeared to be slumped over in his seat, according to a press statement from the Vallejo Police Department. Pictured is the vehicle McCoy was sitting in
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Upon arrival to the Taco Bell at 974 Admiral Callaghan Lane, two officers (pictured, on the scene) approached the vehicle and 'noticed the driver was unresponsive and had a handgun on his lap'
At that point the officers did not attempt to wake the driver and waited for additional officers to arrive to the scene.
According to the statement, officers then noticed that the vehicle's transmission was in drive.
'At this time, additional units arrived and the officers positioned a marked patrol vehicle in front of the subject's vehicle to prevent forward or erratic movement,' the statement read.
They also began to position a marked Vallejo police patrol car to the rear of the subject's vehicle.
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But that's when McCoy woke up and suddenly began to move.
Police said they gave him several commands to 'put his hands up', but McCoy reportedly didn't comply and instead he 'quickly moved his hands downward for the firearm'.
'Fearing for their safety, six officers fired their duty weapons at the driver,' the statement read.
The officers fired multiple rounds at McCoy and all shots were fired in approximately four seconds.
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While securing the area, McCoy suddenly moved and reportedly reached for the gun
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'Fearing for their safety, six officers fired their duty weapons at the driver,' a statement read. They then removed the driver from the vehicle, requested medical assistance and began life saving efforts. McCoy was pronounced dead at the scene
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Photos of McCoy's vehicle shows at least 16 bullet holes in his windshield (pictured)
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'Officers continued to yell commands at the driver and ultimately reached through the broken glass of the driver's window to unlock the vehicle,' according to the statement.
They then removed the driver from the vehicle, requested medical assistance and began life saving efforts.
But a short time later, McCoy was pronounced dead at the scene.
A loaded handgun was recovered from the Mercedes, police said.
McCoy's brother visited the Taco Bell on Saturday to leave candles in the parking lot in honor of his sibling.
'Willie was a good person he didn't deserve that,' his cousin, Levonte Cole, told KTVU.
'I have no words for Vallejo police. They're supposed to protect and serve. They're not supposed to shoot to kill.'
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McCoy's (right) other cousin, David Harrison (center), shared a video on Facebook following the shooting
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'You can't just keep killing us in the street like this,' Harrison (pictured) said. 'My cousin was asleep in the car and they shot him … 20… times'
McCoy's other cousin, David Harrison, shared a video on Facebook following the shooting.
'You can't just keep killing us in the street like this,' Harrison said. 'My cousin was asleep in the car and they shot him … 20… times.'
Photos of McCoy's vehicle shows at least 16 bullet holes in his windshield.
The six officers involved in the shooting have not been identified. The involved officers have been placed on administrate leave.
Police said information confirming how many times McCoy was struck by gunfire will not be available until an autopsy is completed.
Authorities are also waiting on the results of a toxicology test.
An investigation into the shooting is ongoing.
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McCoy (left) was a local rapper known as Willie Bo with the group FBG
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Police said information confirming how many times McCoy (left) was struck by gunfire will not be available until an autopsy is completed. Authorities are also waiting on the results of a toxicology test
Read more:
- Vallejo police shoot and kill Mercedes driver with gun on his lap - Story | KTVU
- Family says aspiring rapper shot to death by Bay Area cops was sleeping - Los Angeles Times
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'Sleeping' rapper, 21, is shot dead by six officers while parked in a Taco Bell drive-thru
