New York ( CNN ) -- New York City will pay more than $ 7 million to settle a civil lawsuit brought by the estate of a man killed by police outside a Queens ' nightclub in 2006 and by his two friends , who were seriously wounded , a spokeswoman for the city 's Law Department said Tuesday . The estate of Sean Bell , who was killed in the shooting , will receive $ 3.25 million , Joseph Guzman receive $ 3 million and Trent Benefield will get $ 900,000 , said Kate Ahlers . `` The city regrets the loss of life in this tragic case , and we share our deepest condolences with the Bell family , '' Michael Cardozo , attorney for the New York City Law Department . `` We hope that all parties can find some measure of closure by this settlement . '' Bell , Guzman and Benefield were shot after an altercation with plainclothes detectives outside the Queens nightclub where Bell 's bachelor party was held on the night before his wedding . Bell died at the scene , and Guzman and Benefield were seriously wounded . Accounts of the incident varied . Undercover officers , who were investigating the club regarding prostitution allegations , said they identified themselves as police , but witnesses and the wounded men said they did not . Police said they believed at least one of the men had a gun , but no gun was found . And one of the officers said the Bell , instead of obeying his command to stop , hit him with his vehicle . The incident quickly became a touchstone for those who believe police -- in New York and elsewhere -- have a record of excessive force , particularly against black men . Bell , 23 , was African-American , as were the two men wounded and two of the three police officers . The officers fired 50 shots in just a few seconds . The shooting sparked street protests , and Mayor Michael Bloomberg called it `` inexplicable '' and `` unacceptable , '' saying `` it sounds to me like excessive force was used . '' In March 2007 , three of the police officers were indicted on multiple charges . Detectives Gescard Isnora , Marc Cooper and Michael Oliver -- who fired his gun 31 times that night , pausing to reload his weapon -- were acquitted of all charges in April 2008 . Justice Arthur Cooperman of New York State Supreme Court said inconsistent testimony and other problems `` had the effect of eviscerating the credibility '' of key prosecution witnesses , and that some testimony `` just did n't make sense . '' `` The police response with respect to each defendant was not proved to be criminal -- i.e. , beyond a reasonable doubt . Questions of carelessness and incompetence must be left to other forums , '' Cooperman said , according to a transcript released by his office . Citing insufficient evidence , the Department of Justice announced in February that it would not pursue federal civil rights charges against police officers involved . The department issued a statement saying that after a `` careful and thorough '' review , there is not enough evidence to prove that New York Police Department detectives `` acted willfully '' when they opened fire on Bell and his friends . In May , Rev . Al Sharpton led a large protest in response to the Department of Justice decision . Sharpton and Bell 's fiancee and parents were among more than 200 people arrested in New York City . Sharpton responded to Tuesday 's decision in a written statement . `` This in no way mitigates or repairs the permanent damage done to them and the pain it has caused them forever nor does it diminish the outrage in the community , '' Sharpton said . `` We will always pursue justice for the family of Sean Bell , Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield . ''
City to pay more than $ 7 million to victims of 2006 shooting . Bell was to be married the following day . Bell was killed , his friends seriously wounded . Police are acquitted in 2008 , Justice Department does not file civil rights charges .