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Mayor 'disturbed' by NY shooting | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
New York's mayor said he is "deeply disturbed" by the shooting of an unarmed black man by police but said he would support the city's police chief. | |
After talks with Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, Michael Bloomberg pledged a thorough investigation, saying it was unacceptable that 50 shots were fired. | |
Sean Bell, 23, was killed on Saturday when officers opened fire as he left a strip club on the eve of his wedding. | |
It is alleged police began firing after his car hit an unmarked police vehicle. | |
Two of Mr Bell's friends, who were travelling in the car, were also injured. | |
Joseph Guzman was hit by at least 11 bullets and is in a critical condition. Trent Benefield was hit three times and is in a stable condition. | |
No weapons were found on the three men or in their car, nor have any charges been made. | |
Five officers have been placed on administrative duties during an inquiry into the shooting outside the Kalua Club, at the end of Mr Bell's stag night celebrations. | |
'Fill in the blanks' | |
Following the talks with the city's police chief and community leaders, Mr Bloomberg said: "I can tell you that it is to me unacceptable or inexplicable how you can have 50-odd shots fired, but that is up to the investigation to find out what really happened." | |
Mr Bloomberg said he was not going to speculate or "fill in the blanks" but would make information public as soon as he had it. | |
Reverend Al Sharpton, a prominent civil rights activist, called it a "very candid, a very blunt meeting". | Reverend Al Sharpton, a prominent civil rights activist, called it a "very candid, a very blunt meeting". |
He said the message to the mayor was: "This city must show moral outrage that 50 shots were fired on three unarmed men." | He said the message to the mayor was: "This city must show moral outrage that 50 shots were fired on three unarmed men." |
POLICE VIOLENCE Timothy Thomas, 2001: Unarmed black teenager shot by white officer in Cincinnati while fleeing. Death sparked days of rioting in cityPatrick Dorismond, 2000: Unarmed black man killed in bungled drugs sting in New York, in a death which drew protestsAmadou Diallo, 1999: West African immigrant killed when white police mistook his wallet for gun. Four officers acquitted; family given $3mRodney King, 1991: Black man badly beaten by LA police after resisting arrest for speeding, in videotaped attack. Acquittal of officers led to riots in 1992. Mr King given $3.8m | |
The talks at City Hall come a day after several hundred people held a rally for Mr Bell, during which protesters called for Commissioner Kelly's resignation. | |
New York police have faced criticism over other shootings of unarmed black men in recent years. | |
According to Commissioner Kelly, the club was under surveillance because of its long history of weapons complaints, drug-dealing and prostitution. | |
He said an undercover officer at the club had reported that the men were in a group involved in a dispute with another person outside the club. | |
The officer had reportedly called his colleagues saying he feared a gun would be produced. |