Family files claim over man’s death
Family members of a man fatally shot by an off-duty Richmond police officer plan to file claims against the cities of Richmond and Vallejo, a prominent civil rights attorney said Sunday.
According to video released last month by the city of Vallejo, Eric “Cheddaman” Reason and Richmond police Sgt. Virgil Thomas were arguing over a parking space Nov. 10, 2019, outside JJ’s Fish and Chicken, near Fairgrounds and Sereno drives, when Reason pulled a gun on the 27-year veteran officer before running away as the officer drew his own weapon and fired several shots, killing him.
In a statement Sunday, John Burris, representing the family of Eric Reason, said the released videos did not align with a description of the incident in a city news release after the shooting.
“Disturbingly, several months after a formal complaint was filed by the family, the Vallejo Police Department has yet to provide an explanation for their misconduct related to the crime scene,” Burris said in part. “This sergeant must be charged with manslaughter at minimum for killing a man who posed no imminent threat.”
Two days after the shooting, a graphic photo circulated online which appeared to show Thomas
and a Vallejo police officer standing over Reason’s body.
In response to a public records request from the Times-Herald Vallejo police have declined to immediately release the names of the officers in charge of the Reason crime scene.
“The incident is still under an active investigation,” police said. “The release of the information you seek will jeopardize the department’s ability to conduct a fair and impartial investigation.”
Police said disclosure of the information has been delayed until March. They have declined to answer why Thomas wasn’t sequestered immediately after the shooting.
“Yet-to-be-identified Vallejo Police Department Officers responded to the scene and initiated their officer involved shooting protocol. However, Vallejo Police Officers failed to sequester or remove Sergeant Thomas from the crime scene as required by policy, even after securing crime scene tape around three adjacent streets,” the claim states. “In addition, Vallejo
Police Officers permitted Sergeant Thomas to stand inside of the crime scene, just inches from Mr. Reason’s head and appear to take photos of Mr. Reason’s face down body.”
Vallejo police said in a statement last November that Thomas was legally defending himself.
After announcing the plan to file claims, a rally was held on behalf of Willie McCoy, 20, who was shot dead by six officers after falling asleep in the drivethrough lane of a former Taco Bell restaurant around 10:30 p.m. Feb. 9, 2019.
Vallejo police officers Ryan McMahon, Collin Eaton,
Bryan Glick, Jordon Patzer, Anthony RomeroCano and Mark Thompson responded to the restaurant in the 900 block of Admiral Callaghan Drive and found McCoy, who had a gun in his lap that police later said had been reported stolen out of Oregon.
The department confirmed McCoy’s name Feb. 14 after a fingerprint analysis, but family members had confirmed his identity almost immediately after the incident. In a video with audio of the shooting, police can be heard yelling commands to McCoy and firing at him less than three seconds later. More
than twenty shots are audible.
Outcry over the shooting led to sustained protests across social media and statements from civilrights organizations.
Burris also represents the family of Ronell Foster, a bicyclist fatally shot during a traffic stop by Vallejo police officer McMahon Feb. 13, 2018.
Abrams declined to charge the officer, who has since been placed on paid administrative leave.
Last week, Vallejo’s police union issued a statement suggesting Foster’s conduct was a factor in the shooting.