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Dec 15, 2006 8:59 am US/Eastern
Stray NYPD Bullet Nearly Hits Train Passenger
Pierces Airtrain Terminal Window In Sean Bell Shooting
by Tamsen Fadal
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Sean Bell was killed by a hail of police gunfire in the early morning hours of Nov. 25 outside a Jamaica nightclub.
CBS
A passenger inside an Airtrain terminal narrowly escaped one of the 50 bullets that police officers fired at Sean Bell and his friends.
The 9mm bullet traveled from the street up and pierced an Airtrain terminal window. It went whizzing past the head of a rail passenger who almost walked right into its path, but fortunately missed everyone standing inside.
The passenger immediately dropped his luggage and went running for cover. A TSA agent, waiting for his train, seemed stunned by the sound of breaking glass, but did not run.
Two Port Authority police officers initially turned toward the distant gunfire outside, then wasted no time getting out of the line of fire. One actually slipped on the freshly waxed floor trying to get to safety.
The Airtrain terminal window sits above the spot on Liverpool street where five police officers fired 50 shots, killing Sean Bell hours before his wedding last month. One of those bullets left the gun at a 25 or 30 degree angle and traveled almost a full block to be able to hit the window.
The hollow-point bullet could have been fatal if it struck one of the people waiting inside. Despite the distance, it was likely traveling over 1,200 feet per second when it hit the glass.
Rev. Al Sharpton is planning a community march "Shop for Justice" down 5th Avenue on Saturday. The silent march will be held in protest of the fatal police shooting that killed Sean Bell.
It will take place on one of the busiest shopping days of the year in NYC, and 5th Avenue will be packed with shoppers.
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