Hip Hop MC Willie Bo fatally shot by police while sleeping in his car at a Taco Bell
The 20-year-old did not respond to police commands, officials say. But his family believes cops used unnecessary force in attempting to arrest him
An aspiring rapper who fell asleep in his car outside a Vallejo, Calif., Taco Bell was shot dead by six police officers, his family has said.
On Saturday night, Willie McCoy, aka Willie Bo, who performed with the group FBG was killed by California police while sitting in a silver Mercedes in the drive-through of the restaurant, The Daily Mail reports.
Vallejo police said an employee called 911 to report that a man was slumped over in his seat. Officers reportedly arrived on the scene to find McCoy and said they “noticed the driver was unresponsive and had a handgun on his lap.”
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The statement from the department added that when officers approached McCoy’s 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 statement added.
“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.”
The 21-year-old rapper was pronounced dead at the scene. Police report that a loaded handgun was recovered in McCoy’s vehicle.
McCoy’s family blasted police over the incident. They believe he was racially profiled and the response of the officers was unjustified.
Marc McCoy, his older brother, told the Guardian: “There was no attempt to try to work out a peaceful solution.
“The police’s job is to arrest people who are breaking the law – not take the law into your own hands,” he said. “You’re not judge, jury and executioner… We’re never going to get over this.”
“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.”
His cousin, David Harrison, said in a video posted on Facebook: “You can’t just keep killing us in the street like this. My little cousin was asleep in the car and they shot him 20 times.”
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