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Report says it was 'reasonable' for police to fire 55 times at man who died at Taco Bell

Attorneys for the rapper's family disagree.

VALLEJO, Calif. — An independent investigation concluded it "reasonable" for six police officers to fire 55 times in 3.5 seconds in the direction of a 20-year-old California rapper who had just woken up from sleeping in a Mercedes at a Taco Bell drive-thru back in February, NBC News reports.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the report's author, a retired law enforcement officer and police consultant, determined the Feb. 9 deadly force was "reasonable and necessary" because authorities said they thought the rapper, Willie McCoy, was reaching for the handgun in his lap when he abruptly woke up.

Attorneys representing the family told NBC News McCoy was struck by about 25 of the bullets. The officers involved have since returned to duty after being put on administrative leave.

An attorney representing McCoy's family told The Chronicle that officers "bungled" their response from "start to finish."

A city attorney told the newspaper the report would not be used in the district attorney's investigation, which will determine whether any officers should be charged.

The shooting

According to our sister-station KXTV, the shooting happened around 10:30 p.m. Feb. 9 at a Taco Bell in Vallejo, Calif.

A silver Mercedes was parked in the drive-thru lane, and a fast food worker called 911 to report McCoy slumped over in the driver's seat.

Arriving officers found McCoy passed out at the wheel with a handgun in his lap and the transmission in drive. The two first responders didn't wake him up right away and waited for backup.

Vallejo police claim they were placing another patrol car behind his vehicle when McCoy began to move. Officers ordered him to keep his hands where they could see him, but investigators say he moved his arm -- causing officers to fear for their safety. 

The officers called for medical help and began trying to save McCoy's life, but he died in the parking lot. The .40 caliber handgun was stolen from Oregon, according to law enforcement.

His family told NBC News he may have had the weapon for protection.

Vallejo police released what they are calling an "informational video" to help explain what happened. The video shows body camera footage from each of the six officers involved in the shooting and allows viewers to listen to the audio from the original 911 call. Authorities told our sister station, KXTV, they didn't include footage of officers trying to save McCoy out of respect for his family's privacy.

Information from KXTV journalist Alanea Cremen was used in this report. Cremen works at 10News' sister station in Sacramento, Calif.

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