I often wonder how in the Wild Wild West the “gun slingers” got away with shooting people in broad daylight. I wonder how they got away with shooting people in close range in front of others and faced no repercussions or disciplinary action. It was a time of lawlessness in a land of laws. The town Sheriff over looked the crimes of “the good ole’ boys” and allowed things to go on from those individuals that were clearly unlawful. It was a time where order in our country was not consistent and laws were not upheld equally. It was a time when many murders took place in the name of justice. It was a time long ago, or was it?

In New York on last Saturday, a young man was slain in “Wild Wild West” fashion. Police reportedly shot over 50 rounds at Sean Bell and two others, the morning before Bell was to be married outside of a strip club in the Jamaica section of Queens. The men were at a bachelor party. Why did the undercover police unleash an arsenal of over 50 rounds on these young men? According to CNN news, the police began to fire after the young man’s car rammed into the undercover policeman’s unmarked vehicle. There are three question that need to be answered…

Why would the police shoot so many rounds at unarmed men?

How could the men have know they were police if they were undercover?

Was proper procedure followed?

This is clearly, on the surface, another case of excessive force used against minorities by police. Although all the facts are not yet known in the case, the case brings about a lot of speculation concerning the amount of rounds that were used. Houses nearby were shot as well as a local train station. Why did the undercover police shoot with so much force without regard for innocent bystanders and a bus driving by when dealing with unarmed men? It is also clear based on reports that these men were not given proper warnings before the shots were fired.

New York Mayor Bloomberg said concerning the incident, “It is to me unacceptable or inexplicable how you can have 50-odd shots fired.” He said this after he met with Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and community leaders according to CNN News. When all the facts are gathered, we will know the full story, but based on current information this was a complete injustice.

A young man, Sean Bell, was killed on the morning before his wedding in an execution style slaying by those who were sworn to protect and serve. Now a fiancee will never have the husband she dreamed of and two children are forced to grow up without their father. Dr. King once said that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” This is an injustice when looking at the current information surrounding the case.