Cops used 'reasonable force' in Willie McCoy shooting, says report
- 5 years ago
VALLEJO, CALIFORNIA — An independent consultant hired by the city of Vallejo has found police use of deadly force in the shooting death of rapper Willie McCoy 'reasonable.'
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the report released on Monday revealed that officers fired 55 shots in 3.5 seconds at McCoy, who sat barely awake in his car outside a Taco Bell.
The Guardian reports that the incident sparked outrage on a national level, and prompted scrutiny of the Vallejo police's frequent use of deadly force, and history of misconduct and abuse.
But in the report, paid 'expert' and retired police officer David Blake concluded the 55 rounds fired by six cops in 3.5 seconds was reasonable based on his "training and experience as a range instructor, as well as through applied human factors psychology."
He claimed each cop had probable cause to believe McCoy posed an immediate threat, adding that "officers aren't required to wait until a weapon is pointed at them to take the necessary steps to save their lives."
The McCoy family has called the report biased, saying it was especially unwarranted since body cam footage revealed officers saying the gun in the car had no magazine in it. They even commented that even if it were loaded, it likely only had a single bullet.
The family's attorney, Melissa Nold, criticized the report and Blake, who she says gets paid to defend the cops when they shoot people.
He previously investigated the 2008 Stephon Clark shooting and concluded the officers had probable cause to fire at the unarmed man.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the report released on Monday revealed that officers fired 55 shots in 3.5 seconds at McCoy, who sat barely awake in his car outside a Taco Bell.
The Guardian reports that the incident sparked outrage on a national level, and prompted scrutiny of the Vallejo police's frequent use of deadly force, and history of misconduct and abuse.
But in the report, paid 'expert' and retired police officer David Blake concluded the 55 rounds fired by six cops in 3.5 seconds was reasonable based on his "training and experience as a range instructor, as well as through applied human factors psychology."
He claimed each cop had probable cause to believe McCoy posed an immediate threat, adding that "officers aren't required to wait until a weapon is pointed at them to take the necessary steps to save their lives."
The McCoy family has called the report biased, saying it was especially unwarranted since body cam footage revealed officers saying the gun in the car had no magazine in it. They even commented that even if it were loaded, it likely only had a single bullet.
The family's attorney, Melissa Nold, criticized the report and Blake, who she says gets paid to defend the cops when they shoot people.
He previously investigated the 2008 Stephon Clark shooting and concluded the officers had probable cause to fire at the unarmed man.