On December 8, 1980, John Lennon, a former member of the iconic band The Beatles, was shot and killed outside his apartment building in New York City. The assailant, Mark David Chapman, approached Lennon and fired five shots, four of which struck him in the back and shoulder. Lennon was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. Chapman, who had been a fan of Lennon, later stated that he was motivated by a desire for notoriety and a sense of betrayal over Lennon's comments about The Beatles being more popular than Jesus. He was arrested at the scene and later sentenced to 20 years to life in prison.