Willie McCoy: Rapper shot dead by police was sleeping, video shows

Aspiring musician shot around 25 times in space of four seconds

Vallejo Police have released footage of the shooting of Willie McCoy, appearing to show officers killing the aspiring rapper just after he had woken up after falling asleep in his car.

The 20-year-old was killed outside a Taco Bell on 9 February, after being shot an estimated 25 times in the space of four seconds, according to his family’s lawyer.

His family had earlier said that McCoy did not threaten the police officers before he was killed.

Their account disputed a statement released by Vallejo Police after the shooting, claiming that officers had commenced firing after “fearing for their safety”.

The footage of the killing, released after considerable public pressure, shows the six policemen standing around the sleeping man’s car, with their guns raised, discussing what to do over the course of several minutes while McCoy slept.

They had arrived at the scene after a 911 call from a Taco Bell employee about an unresponsive man in a car.

The staff member did not mention the fact that McCoy had a gun and did not describe the aspiring musician as posing a danger in any way.

“I have a person unresponsive to car horn honks in my drive through,” the caller can be heard saying.

”I have no idea what is going on.”

After arriving at the Taco Bell police officers realised McCoy had a gun on his lap.

They can be heard discussing the fact that the weapon did not have a magazine in it.

“He’s only got one shot,” one officer says.

Later an officer can be heard saying “if he reaches for it, you know what to do.”

McCoy later stirred and moved his hand. The officers opened fire.

“Officers continued to yell commands at the driver and ultimately reached through the broken glass of the driver’s window to unlock the vehicle,” a spokesperson for Vallejo Police said in a statement.

“Officers removed the driver from the vehicle, began rendering medical assistance and attempted lifesaving efforts on the driver. Unfortunately the driver was pronounced deceased at the scene.”

The six policemen involved have been named as Ryan McMahon, Collin Eaton, Bryan Glick, Jordon Patzer, Anthony Romero-Cano and Mark Thompson, according to The Mercury News.

Mr Thompson is the subject of an ongoing, separate lawsuit alleging that he and other officers used excessive force against a suspect.

The officers who shot McCoy have been placed on administrative leave and an investigation into the killing is ongoing.

“You can’t just keep killing us in the street like this,” David Harrison, McCoy’s cousin, said in a Facebook video.

“My cousin was asleep in the car and they shot him 20 times.”

Levonte Cole, another relative, 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.”