Rally in Vallejo for men killed by police

Rally in Vallejo for men killed by police. Greg Liggins reports

VALLEJO, Calif. - Dozens of people gathered in Vallejo on Sunday evening at the spot where a young black man was killed in a controversial police shooting.

But it wasn’t just a gathering to honor one life of Willie McCoy, there were several men being remembered. The common bond -- all the victims lost their lives in controversial shootings by police. McCoy, Ronell Foster and Eric Reason.

There are more names, but what all three men died in the city of Vallejo at the hands of police within the last two years.

Off-duty Richmond officer kills man in Vallejo

Many families and friends gathered to speak out against what they call unlawful police killings. They gathered outside what is now Starbucks at a Vallejo shopping center, where one year ago, McCoy, a young rapper, was shot 55 times. Police said he had fallen asleep outside a Taco Bell with what appeared to be a gun in his hand. Police shot him when he woke up; they said they thought he was reaching for a weapon.

McCoy's aunt is still outraged.

“Fifty five shots in 3.5 seconds on a man that's asleep,” Angela Sullivan said. “I'm mad. And everybody out here it's be mad too.”

Police shot rapper 55 times in 3.5 seconds

People were also there to remember Foster, who was riding his bicycle when he was killed February 2018 by Police Officer Ryan McMahon. And they were there to remember Eric Reason, who was armed and shot from behind by an off-duty Richmond officer during a parking lot confrontation in November 2019.

Vallejo PD release body cam footage of fatal shooting of bicyclist

WARNING GRAPHIC VIDEO: Officer-involved shooting of bicyclist Ronell Foster

So far, the Solano County District Attorney has not charged any officers.

Civil rights attorney John Burris filed claims against Richmond and Vallejo Friday in the Reason case, a precursor to lawsuits.

“The officer was in a position of safety,” Burris said. “He could not have been in fear of his life and for him to do that was a reckless, cold disregard and maliciousness as it relates to the life of with Reason. And he should be prosecuted for it.”

Speakers at the gathering urged the crowd to make changes by voting people who don't represent their desires out of office.

“Anybody who stands in the way of justice, equality and making sure they're doing the will of the people as they were elected to do, then they got to go,” said attorney Adante Pointer.