Police Release Body-Cam Video of Willie McCoy Killing, Showing Him Asleep in Car

WARNING: EMBEDDED VIDEO CONTAINS GRAPHIC LANGUAGE AND IMAGES WHICH MAY BE DISTURBING TO SOME

On February 9th 2019 in Vallejo California, employees at a Taco Bell called police to report a car in the drive-thru was occupied by an unresponsive man. Responding police ended up shooting and killing the man, rapper Willie McCoy.

I had not been following this story, but I watched the body-cam video and I'm not really sure what to think. Would the victim have shot at the officers if he was startled awake? He seemed very much unconscious if he wasn't reacting to honking or flashlights and guns being aimed at him by police. What could the officers have done to disable or disarm the man to get him under their control without potentially being fired upon?

What are your thoughts? Was this an execution or were the cops justified in what they ended up doing? In particular, I would like to hear from any members who have experience as active-duty or ex law enforcement or have other pertinent training that could shed some light on if there may have been alternate methods of dealing with this and what those could have been.

GUARDIAN SOURCE ARTICLE

Vallejo police have released footage of the killing of Willie McCoy at a Taco Bell, showing six officers shooting the 20-year-old who was sleeping in his car. The disturbing body-camera videos show the young rapper had moved his hand to scratch his shoulder before officers opened fire. The footage is consistent with key claims of McCoy’s family, who watched footage earlier this month and said the officers “executed” him while he was not alert or awake. The videos, released after significant pressure, show:

*The officers did not try to wake McCoy up or talk to him after they spotted a gun in his lap, and instead pointed their firearms at his head directly outside the car as he slept for several minutes.

*One officer said: “I’m going to pull him out and snatch his ass.”

*The officers then realized the firearm did not have a magazine in it, noting to each other that if it was loaded, it would have a single bullet in it:

*“He’s only got one shot if he shoots.”

*The officers then appeared to make a plan to fire at him, with one saying, “If he reaches for it, you know what to do.”

*McCoy eventually started to move, scratching his shoulder and not yet appearing alert or saying anything to officers, and several seconds later, all six officers fired at him.

The following statement is interesting and is probably the most important aspect of this evidence- did they add the caption knowing that he actually DID NOT reach for the gun taking advantage of the blurriness of the footage? Is it possible that the body-cam footage was altered? Or is it just unfortunate that once again the footage missed a key element of the event?

Vallejo police officials slowed down the video in the final seconds before the shootings, adding a caption that said “hand reaches to gun on lap”. The videos of the 9 February incident, however, are blurry in that moment and show McCoy’s body moving slightly, but do not capture his hand moving to the firearm, which is not visible in the footage.

Don't fall asleep in Taco Bell drive-thru with a gun on your lap!

a reply to: seattlerat

My goodness.
What a bunch of cowards.
A single warning shot would be enough to deescalate the majority of these situations.

Before you rant on these cops.. ask yourself, what would do in that situation ?

originally posted by: Spacespider
Before you rant on these cops.. ask yourself, what would do in that situation ?

With five other cops covering me and surrounding the guy? I don't know, but murdering him would be pretty low on that list.

originally posted by: sine.nomine

originally posted by: Spacespider
Before you rant on these cops.. ask yourself, what would do in that situation ?

With five other cops covering me and surrounding the guy? I don't know, but murdering him would be pretty low on that list.

From there perspective it looked like he was going for the gun..
So yearh they where covering him

originally posted by: Macenroe82
a reply to: seattlerat

My goodness.
What a bunch of cowards.
A single warning shot would be enough to deescalate the majority of these situations.

Warning shots are irresponsible.

Stay in your lane.

originally posted by: Spacespider
Before you rant on these cops.. ask yourself, what would do in that situation ?

Being in the military and doing these exact things except with actual extremist with intent to kill, are you seriously going to ask that question?

These cops aren't even capable of executing simple protocol that would result in no shots fired, yet the only thing executed was the sleeping dude.


Jesus, multiple cops firing, that moment with which herd mentality takes over and its kill kill kill plus 100 adrenaline rush plus shout for tempering effect. Total overkill.

originally posted by: Spacespider

originally posted by: sine.nomine

originally posted by: Spacespider
Before you rant on these cops.. ask yourself, what would do in that situation ?

With five other cops covering me and surrounding the guy? I don't know, but murdering him would be pretty low on that list.

From there perspective it looked like he was going for the gun..
So yearh they where covering him

The gun was on his lap. He could've farted, and they'd still have shot him "for fear of their lives".

originally posted by: Arnie123

originally posted by: Spacespider
Before you rant on these cops.. ask yourself, what would do in that situation ?

Being in the military and doing these exact things except with actual extremist with intent to kill, are you seriously going to ask that question?

These cops aren't even capable of executing simple protocol that would result in no shots fired, yet the only thing executed was the sleeping dude.

Oh hey soldier.. I guess you got lucky serving in the military then.
I also am a former soldier boy.. and one learn not to take any chances

No toxicology report has been released yet.
The man was blocking the drive through of a fast food restaurant, the car was still in drive and he appeared to be unconscious.

That’s safe? Being unconscious behind the wheel wilts the car in drive?

Then there is that pesky handgun lying on his lap.

But, oh, there was no magazine in it. Maybe not, but there still could have been one in the chamber.
Is a police officer supposed to lay down his life to avoid protecting his own when confronted with a situation like that?

Some blame must go to the man that put himself in the position that caused all of this to happen.

Why was he unconscious with a gun in his lap in the drive through of a restaurant?

Was the gun purchased legally?
Was he even allowed legally to possess a firearm?

originally posted by: Macenroe82
a reply to: seattlerat

My goodness.
What a bunch of cowards.
A single warning shot would be enough to deescalate the majority of these situations.

A warning shot? you mean a shot that could possibly hit someone or something else?

Where do some of you people get your logic?

a reply to: butcherguy

How did he already have his food? Why did he get food, and pull back around with a gun in his lap.

I can see him moving I cant tell what he is doing from this video. Giving they had him blocked in they should have stepped away as he started waking up, but it happened pretty quick and I'm sure he was afraid and moved erratically. That might not should have been the outcome, but as you say the situation should have never happened.

Bad situation could perhaps have been handled better.
I guess don’t fall asleep at Taco Bell with a gun in your lap.

a reply to: seattlerat

originally posted by: butcherguy
No toxicology report has been released yet.
The man was blocking the drive through of a fast food restaurant, the car was still in drive and he appeared to be unconscious.

That’s safe? Being unconscious behind the wheel wilts the car in drive?

Then there is that pesky handgun lying on his lap.

But, oh, there was no magazine in it. Maybe not, but there still could have been one in the chamber.
Is a police officer supposed to lay down his life to avoid protecting his own when confronted with a situation like that?

Some blame must go to the man that put himself in the position that caused all of this to happen.

Why was he unconscious with a gun in his lap in the drive through of a restaurant?

Was the gun purchased legally?
Was he even allowed legally to possess a firearm?

You ever notice that the victims in these situations always seem to put themselves in situations that most normal people couldn't conceive?

I am not going to say the cops were right or wrong, but at some point, you have to question the decision making of the victims too.

originally posted by: Spacespider
Before you rant on these cops.. ask yourself, what would do in that situation ?

Why I'd yell let me see your hands, after pumping 60 shots into him. Duh..

a reply to: Spacespider

Well done Trombly..

a reply to: Spacespider

i would have shot a bunch of guns in the AIR, waited for him to wake up, but behind, back under cover, and said GTFO of the car.

i have sleep apnea, i have to pull into parking lots of take naps, maybe 1 or 2 times a year.

originally posted by: TheLead
a reply to: butcherguy

How did he already have his food? Why did he get food, and pull back around with a gun in his lap.

I can see him moving I cant tell what he is doing from this video. Giving they had him blocked in they should have stepped away as he started waking up, but it happened pretty quick and I'm sure he was afraid and moved erratically. That might not should have been the outcome, but as you say the situation should have never happened.

Valid questions.
That is why I think toxicology would be important to see.
If he was drunk or under the influence of drugs, that might be a reason for him to have went back into the line (disoriented or didn’t even know that he already got his order) . Or... there was something wrong with his order and he he went back around to talk to them about it.

If he hadn’t had a handgun visible in his lap, the whole situation may have turned out completely different. If he had a gun in his waistband and then went for it, the cops would have to have seen a weapon before they fired.
As it was ... they knew he had a gun, and in the other video, his left hand was moving down towards it before they fired.

originally posted by: dantanna
i have sleep apnea, i have to pull into parking lots of take naps, maybe 1 or 2 times a year.

Same. I'm going with drunk and suicidal on this one though. If I'm right, I guess he got what he wanted ☹

The cops should be executed by firing squad. People like them make all cops and our society look bad.