"'Obviously at some point they were conscious because somebody felt threatened,' said Butts, a retired law enforcement officer who previously had served as police chief in other cities."

Say what now? Hell of a defence there, Jimmy.

I imagine the first few moments of consciousness, along with the shock and disbelief of what was going on, were enough for the police to justify in opening fire.
The article mentions the SWAT were called in and were yelling at the car on loudspeakers even before they finally (presumably) woke up.

I was gonna say "is this even a real story?" But then I found a better news link:

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/couple-killed-inglewood-police-shooting-asleep-mayor-butts-369902981.html

Nothing surprises me any longer when a cop shoots someone. It's sad we've come to that level, but I honestly don't put anything beyond our thugs in blue today.

Bad Cops, Bad Cops, what 'cha gonna do?

This is terrible, even with a Mayor Butts involved.

Sounds like some officers need to give a very specific account of why they used deadly force, perhaps before a jury.

This is one I actually feel bad about people higher up in the political food chain being woken up and told....

WHAT?!?
They did WHAT?!?

Oh this is going to be a shitstorm.

Cops need to make their thin blue line about validity and fast.

This is execution.

With the armoured car, they could have driven up next to the car, shined a freaking high powered halogen light inside and seen if there was a gun with zero danger to anyone... That takes about 15 seconds.

How dafuq do you feel threatened with an armoured vehicle, that much backup, vests/shields and automatic firearms? It is fucking beyond me...

At the very least this is voluntary manslaughter.

And seriously, these people were too fucking moronic to think through that executing two sleeping people was perhaps a bad idea, and yet we let them wield the guns and dispense the lawn??!?!?

Here's an old ass song by The Offspring, a local socal band, with their not-so hit song titled "LAPD":

When cops are taking care of business I can understand
But the L.A. story's gone way out of hand
Their acts of aggression, they say they're justified
But it seems an obsession has started from the inside
They're shooting anyone who even tries to run
They're shooting little kids with toy guns
Take it to a jury but they don't give a damn
Because the one who tells the truth is always the policeman

Beat all the niggers
Beat whoever you see
Don't need a reason
(We're) L.A.P.D.

The city of L.A. feels like a prison
With helicopters overhead and bullets whizzing by
Martial law ain't no solution
Police brutality's just social pollution

Beat all the white trash
Beat whoever you see
Don't need a reason
(We're) L.A.P.D.

They say they're keeping the peace
But I'm not buying it because a billy club ain't much of a pacifier
"Protecting your freedom"
Now that's just a lie
It's an excuse for power that's more like an alibi
Law and order doesn't really matter
When you're the one getting bruisedand battered
You take it to a jury, they'll throw it in your face
Because justice in L.A. comes in a can of mace

Aaaaand -- The Clash with their hit song "Know Your Rights":

This is a public service announcement
With guitar
Know your rights all three of them

Number 1
You have the right not to be killed
Murder is a CRIME!
Unless it was done by a
Policeman or aristocrat
Know your rights

And Number 2
You have the right to food money
Providing of course you
Don't mind a little
Investigation, humiliation
And if you cross your fingers
Rehabilitation

Know your rights
These are your rights
Wang

Know these rights

Number 3
You have the right to free
Speech as long as you're not
Dumb enough to actually try it.

Know your rights
These are your rights
All three of 'em
It has been suggested
In some quarters that this is not enough!
Well

Get off the streets
Get off the streets
Run
You don't have a home to go to
Smush

Finally then I will read you your rights

You have the right to remain silent
You are warned that anything you say
Can and will be taken down
And used as evidence against you

Listen to this
Run

Black Flag "Police Story":

This fucking city
Is run by pigs
They take the rights
Away from all the kids
Understand
We're fighting a war
We can't win
They hate us
We hate them
We can't win, no way!
Walk down the street
I flip them off
They hit me across the head
With a billy club
Understand
We're fighting a war
We can't win
They hate us
We hate them
We can't win, no way!
Nothing I do,
Nothing I say
I tell them to go get fucked
They put me away
Understand
We're fighting a war
We can't win
They hate us
We hate them
We can't win, no way!
I go to court,
For my crime,
Stand in line pay bail,
I waste my time
Understand
We're fighting a war
We can't win
They hate us
We hate them
We can't win, no way!

NWA "Fuck Tha Police":

Right about now, N.W.A. court is in full effect
Judge Dre presiding
In the case of N.W.A. vs. the Police Department;
prosecuting attorney's are: MC Ren, Ice Cube,
and Eazy-motherfucking-E

Order, order, order
Ice Cube, take the motherfucking stand
Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth
and nothing but the truth so help your black ass?

You god damn right!

Well won't you tell everybody what the fuck you gotta say?

Fuck the police coming straight from the underground
A young nigga got it bad cause I'm brown
And not the other color so police think
they have the authority to kill a minority
Fuck that shit, cause I ain't the one
for a punk motherfucker with a badge and a gun
to be beating on, and thrown in jail
We can go toe to toe in the middle of a cell
Fucking with me cause I'm a teenager
with a little bit of gold and a pager
Searching my car, looking for the product
Thinking every nigga is selling narcotics
You'd rather see, me in the pen
than me and Lorenzo rolling in a Benz-o
Beat a police out of shape
and when I'm finished, bring the yellow tape
To tape off the scene of the slaughter
Still getting swoll off bread and water
I don't know if they fags or what
Search a nigga down, and grabbing his nuts
And on the other hand, without a gun they can't get none
But don't let it be a black and a white one
Cause they'll slam ya down to the street top
Black police showing out for the white cop
Ice Cube will swarm
on ANY motherfucker in a blue uniform
Just cause I'm from, the CPT
Punk police are afraid of me!
HUH, a young nigga on the warpath
And when I'm finished, it's gonna be a bloodbath
of cops, dying in L.A.
Yo Dre, I got something to say

Fuck the police
Fuck the police
Fuck the police
Fuck the police

Example of scene one

Pull your god damn ass over right now
Aww shit, now what the fuck you pulling me over for?
Cause I feel like it!
Just sit your ass on the curb and shut the fuck up
Man, fuck this shit
Aight smartass, I'm taking your black ass to jail!

MC Ren, will you please give your testimony
to the jury about this fucked up incident?

Fuck the police and Ren said it with authority
because the niggas on the street is a majority
A gang, is with whoever I'm stepping
and the motherfucking weapon is kept in
a stash box, for the so-called law
Wishing Ren was a nigga that they never saw
Lights start flashing behind me
But they're scared of a nigga so they mace me to blind me
But that shit don't work, I just laugh
because it gives em a hint, not to step in my path
For police, I'm saying, "Fuck you punk!"
Reading my rights and shit, it's all junk
Pulling out a silly club, so you stand
with a fake-assed badge and a gun in your hand
But take off the gun so you can see what's up
And we'll go at it punk, and I'ma fuck you up!
Make you think I'ma kick your ass
but drop your gat, and Ren's gonna blast
I'm sneaky as fuck when it comes to crime
But I'ma smoke 'em now and not next time
Smoke any motherfucker that sweats me
or any asshole, that threatens me
I'm a sniper with a hell of a scope
Taking out a cop or two, they can't cope with me
The motherfucking villain that's mad
With potential, to get bad as fuck
So I'ma turn it around
Put in my clip, yo, and this is the sound
[BOOM, BOOM] Yeah, something like that
but it all depends on the size of the gat
Taking out a police, would make my day
But a nigga like Ren don't give a fuck to say

Fuck the police
Fuck the police
Fuck the police
Fuck the police

Yeah man, what you need?
Police, open now
Aww shit
We have a warrant for Eazy-E's arrest
Get down and put your hands up where I can see 'em
(Move motherfucker, move now!)
What the fuck did I do, man what did I do?
Just shut the fuck up
and get your motherfucking ass on the floor
(You heard the man, shut the fuck up!)
But I didn't do shit
Man just shut the fuck up!

Eazy-E, won't you step up to the stand
and tell the jury how you feel about this bullshit?

I'm tired of the motherfucking jacking
Sweating my gang, while I'm chilling in the shack, and
shining the light in my face, and for what?
Maybe it's because I kick so much butt
I kick ass - or maybe cause I blast
on a stupid-assed nigga when I'm playing with the trigger
of any Uzi or an AK
Cause the police always got something stupid to say
They put out my picture with silence
Cause my identity by itself causes violence
The E with the criminal behavior
Yeah, I'm a gangsta, but still I got flavor
Without a gun and a badge, what do ya got?
A sucker in a uniform waiting to get shot
by me, or another nigga
And with a gat it don't matter if he's smaller or bigger

Size ain't shit, he's from the old school fool)
And as you all know, E's here to rule
Whenever I'm rolling, keep looking in the mirror
And ears on cue, yo, so I can hear a
dumb motherfucker with a gun
And if I'm rolling off the 8, he'll be the one
that I take out, and then get away
While I'm driving off laughing this is what I'll say

Fuck the police
Fuck the police
Fuck the police
Fuck the police

The verdict

The jury has found you guilty of being a redneck,
white bread, chickenshit motherfucker
But wait, that's a lie! That's a god damn lie!
Get him out of here!
I want justice!
Get him the fuck out my face!
I want justice!
Out, RIGHT NOW!
FUCK YOU, YOU BLACK MOTHER-FUCKERS!

Fuck the police!
Fuck the police!
Fuck the police!

Sonny Curtis and the Crickets "I Fought the Law":

Breaking rocks in the hot sun
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won
I needed money cause I had none
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won

I miss my baby and I feel so bad
I guess my race is run
Well she's the best girl that I've ever had
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won

Robbing people with a zip gun
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won

I miss my baby and the good fun
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won

These are The Crickets fighting the law (which Sonny wrote and later performed slightly differently solo):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLoskF32tCU

I grew up with the Clash version.

I really have a hard time believing the cops did what the clickbait title overtly states.

I'll have to view the video at some point when I'm too happy and need a good strong dose of nihilistic depression.

OK, how about I don't WANT to believe it?

Is there anything more to this story yet? Has any real news outlet said anything? All I can find is a bunch of links to obviously partisan blogs and Enquirer-esque pseudo sites.