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Queens Shooting: Preliminary Police Report Released
By
Jen Chung
Published Dec 11, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published Dec 11, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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The NYPD released its preliminary report about the shooting on November 25 which left Sean Bell dead and Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield injured. The NY Times got a copy of the report and has an in-depth article about the report and we found these points from the story intriguing and/or crazy:
- [The report] includes no meaningful discussion of a fourth man, a mysterious figure who some in the Police Department have suggested may have been present along with the three men who were shot...
- Mr. Bell, mortally wounded and not speaking, and Joseph Guzman, despite wounds from his head to his feet, were put in handcuffs after the gunfire ceased.
- None of the witnesses — police or civilians — whose accounts are detailed in the report recall hearing anything close to 50 rounds...
- Mr. Benefield said a man he had not seen before stood in front of Mr. Bell’s car and simply opened fire, striking Mr. Guzman once, and that Mr. Bell then repeatedly drove forward and in reverse and collided with other vehicles in an attempt to drive away. His account differs from the accounts of some police officers that the detective opened fire after Mr. Bell’s car had struck him, crashed into a police van, and then nearly hit him a second time.
- Lieutenant [Gary] Napoli’s account makes clear that he believed the men in Mr. Bell’s car knew he was a police officer because he had made eye contact with one of them. The report says Lieutenant Napoli could not articulate why he believed that....
Also, Detective Michael Oliver who shot 31 rounds apparently didn't even realize that he had fired his gun (and reloaded it at least once). The Times also has a slideshow timeline as well as a more detailed graphic detailing what happened when. The article also creates a narrative what the undercover operation's movements and interactions during that night.
The Queens DA's office is reviewing the report as it continues its own investigation.
Front page coverage from the Times, Post and Daily News the day after the shooting
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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