John Lennon, a former member of the Beatles, the rock group that transformed
popular music in the 1960s, was shot and killed by an obsessed fan in New
York City. 

The 40-year-old artist was entering his luxury Manhattan apartment
building when Mark David Chapman (below) shot him four times at
close range with a .38-caliber revolver. Lennon, bleeding profusely,
was rushed to the hospital but died en-route. Chapman had received
an autograph from Lennon earlier in the day (above) and voluntarily
remained at the scene of the shooting until he was arrested by
police.

For a week, hundreds of bereaved fans kept a vigil outside the
Dakota–Lennon’s apartment building–and demonstrations of
mourning were held around the world.

New York City police hold spectators behind barricades the
day after former Beatle John Lennon was shot and killed in
front his residence at the Dakota in New York. (AP)