A shooting by Vallejo, Ca., police last Saturday of a man who had passed out inside a car with a gun bears striking similarities to two other Bay Area police shootings: All ended in death and prompted criticism from the slain men’s families that officers overreacted and should have defused the situation, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Use-of-force experts say the sight of a gun poses a potential threat to police even if it’s on an unconscious person, and as the person awakes, officers must make split-second decisions. “Those officers always have that potential threat … during these situations,” said Jeff Martin, a former San Jose police sergeant who is a use-of-force consultant. “Should they make the decision that makes it more likely they’ll be shot or should they make a decision biased in favor of their own survival?”
Civil rights experts say police have to do more to avoid a violent outcome. The latest case occurred at a Taco Bell drive-through line where two officers responded to a report of Willie McCoy, 21, slumped over in his Mercedes. Officers saw a handgun on the man’s lap and called for backup. A third officer arrived and the three tried to open the car door without waking him to take the gun but the car was locked. Three other officers arrived. Officers were in the process of putting a car behind McCoy’s car when he awoke and looked at them. They commanded him to put his hands up but said McCoy reached for the gun and they opened fire. McCoy, a local rapper known as Willie Bo, died at the scene. The gun McCoy had was a fully loaded .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine. All six officers are on administrative leave and the shooting is under investigation.