Father of police shooting victim speaks out

(New York - WABC, November 28, 2006) (WABC) -- For the first time, we are hearing from the devastated father of the young groom killed by police on his wedding day.

Eyewitness News anchor Sandra Bookman spoke with Sean Bell's father on Tuesday afternoon.

William Bell has been relatively quiet since the death of his son preferring to mourn in private in their home in Queens Village. But today, he talked on camera since Sean was killed.

A grieving father holding his young granddaughter and trying to come to grips with the death of his son, her father -- 23-year-old Sean Bell.

"It's to hard to even believe at times ... even now I still don't believe it ... I can't sleep, I was too afraid to sleep ... I figured it was a dream," he said.

William Bell knows all too well that the nightmare is real. He stayed in the background as community anger mounts after 50 shots were fired at Sean and two friends. He is grappling with his own frustration and confusion.

"They just killed my son for what reason? I don't think they even know," he said.

As the search for answers continues, the father says he simply wants to remember the son he loved and find out why he died.

"It don't matter to me what color the cops are ... my son is dead ... I don't want that to happen to no other kid, I don't care if they're black, white or whatever," he said.

Now, William Bell tells me that he remembers most that his son Sean was happy about life and getting married.

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