Sean Bell

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Memorial at the place where the fatal shots fell (December 2006)

Sean Bell (born May 18, 1983 - November 25, 2006 in New York ) was shot dead by officers of the New York City Police Department . His death provoked widespread protests and calls for the New York Police Chief to resign.

Bell had been arrested three times in the past for drug trafficking and possession of firearms. His companions Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield had also been arrested several times, each at least once for possession of firearms. Guzman was sentenced to prison for armed robbery, Benefield had a criminal record for robbery.

Bell planned his wedding to Nicole Paultre on November 25, 2006, with whom he already had two children. On the night of November 24th to 25th, 2006, he celebrated his bachelorette party with friends in the borough of Queens in the striptease club "Kalua". The place was watched by police officers on suspicion of drug dealing and prostitution.

After a quarrel between Guzman and a woman in the club, according to an undercover agent who was present, they were threatened with gun violence. When Sean Bell and his friends Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield left the club, they were followed by a police officer who claims to have overheard an argument in which it was said, "Yo, get my gun, get my gun." get my gun, get my gun ”). Police officers blocked the way for Bell and his friends when they pulled up in their car. They injured a plainclothes police officer. These opened fire on the vehicle and the occupants. A total of 50 shots were fired by the police officers. At least one officer must have reloaded his weapon during the shooting, as he fired 31 shots, but the magazine of his weapon only holds 15 cartridges. Sean Bell was fatally shot in the neck and arm. A weapon was not found either in the car or on the three occupants.

Protest over the death of Sean Bell.

The incident sparked massive protests with hundreds of demonstrators, led by civil rights activist Al Sharpton , demanding the resignation of New York Police Chief Raymond Kelly . Hundreds of participants came to the funeral demonstrating against the killing of Bell. A major demonstration has been announced for December 6, 2006. The Mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg , promised a full investigation and described the incident as unacceptable and inexplicable. Although the victim was black, racist motives should not necessarily have been a cause, as two of the officers were black and one was Latino.

2008 it came to the criminal against three police officers who were involved in the incident. You were acquitted in April 2008. At the same time, a $ 50 million damages lawsuit was pending against the City of New York. This ended in a settlement that included $ 3.25 million for the family, $ 3 million for Guzman and $ 900,000 for Benefield.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Louise Roug, Closing arguments in Sean Bell trial , The Los Angeles Times April 15, 2008. (English)

Web links

Commons : Sean Bell shooting incident  - collection of images, videos and audio files
personal data
SURNAME Bell, Sean
BRIEF DESCRIPTION shot dead by officers from the New York City Police Department
DATE OF BIRTH May 18, 1983
DATE OF DEATH November 25, 2006
Place of death New York City , New York , USA