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Five years ago today, Sean Bell was shot dead by New York City police. The New York Times recalls the details of the shooting:

In the early morning hours of Nov. 25, 2006, Sean Bell, a 23-year-old New York City man due to be married later that day, walked out of a Queens strip club, climbed into a gray Nissan Altima with two friends who had been celebrating with him — and died in a hail of 50 bullets fired by a group of five police officers.

For more of the history of the shooting and its aftermath, click here.

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Today, NY1News is reporting on gatherings being held in Sean Bell’s memory:

A candlelight vigil was held overnight on “Sean Bell Way” in Jamaica, Queens.

Family members placed candles where Bell was killed and rang a bell 50 times to mark the number of shots that were fired the night he died.

Bell’s fiancée, Nicole Paultre Bell, plans to keep holding the vigil every year to honor his legacy.

“What we’re hoping is that five years later we can have some change and that no other families have to suffer the way my family does. So every day is a struggle for us. My daughters, they miss their dad, and we have been here from day one and we’re going to continue to stand up,” said Bell.

See NY1 video here.

Two police officers involved in the shooting are awaiting a verdict in a departmental hearing. If found guilty, the officers may be fired.

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