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The shooting of Trayvon Martin took place on February 26, 2012, in Sanford, Florida. Trayvon Martin was a 17-year-old African American who was shot and killed by 28-year-old George Zimmerman, a man of mixed ethnic descent (Peruvian and white American). Martin was unarmed, walking from a convenience store to the home of his father's girlfriend when Zimmerman, a community watch coordinator, began following Martin and called the Sanford Police Department to say he witnessed suspicious behavior. Soon afterward, there was a physical altercation which ended when Zimmerman fatally shot Martin.

Zimmerman described the shooting to the police who arrived on the scene as self-defense. Responding officers handcuffed Zimmerman and took him into custody but they did not formally arrest him, saying that they did not find evidence to contradict his assertion of self-defense. However, the lead homicide investigator was not convinced by Zimmerman's account and wanted to charge him with manslaughter, but the state attorney's office said there was insufficient evidence for a conviction. Both Martin and Zimmerman made phone calls during the incident, some of which were recorded.

The circumstances around Martin's death received national and international attention, particularly regarding Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law and allegations of racial motivations and police misconduct, triggering multiple investigations and public demands for Zimmerman's arrest. Many people, from civil rights leaders to public officials – including Reverend Al Sharpton, President Barack Obama, Jesse Jackson, and Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi – have made public comments or released statements about the shooting.

Persons involved in the case

Trayvon Martin

Trayvon Benjamin Martin (February 5, 1995 – February 26, 2012) was the son of Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin. He was 17 years old at the time of his death. His parents had divorced in 1999; his mother is a Miami-Dade government employee and his father is a truck driver. He was a junior at Krop Senior High School, in the Miami area of south Florida. Martin lived with his mother and older brother in Miami Gardens, Florida. On the day he was killed, he was visiting his father and his father's fiancée at her townhome in The Retreat At Twin Lakes in Sanford, Florida. At the time, he was under suspension from school for getting caught with an empty bag with traces of marijuana.

George Zimmerman

George Michael Zimmerman was born on October 5, 1983, in Virginia, the son of Gladys Zimmerman, who is from Peru, and Robert Zimmerman Sr., a retired magistrate judge. He lived in Manassas, Virginia, until the early 2000s. George Zimmerman was married in 2006, and in 2009 moved with his wife to The Retreat At Twin Lakes in Sanford, Florida, where the shooting incident occurred. He was employed as an insurance underwriter.

Zimmerman had completed the Seminole County Sheriff's Office 14-week citizens' law enforcement introduction course. At the time of the shooting, he was working toward an associate degree at Seminole State College. His enrollment was withdrawn due to the controversy surrounding the shooting, and "...to provide for the safety of our students on campus as well as for Mr. Zimmerman," according to the school.

Sanford Police Chief Bill Lee said that Zimmerman had cooperated with investigators. Zimmerman retained an attorney on March 24, 2012.

Zimmerman's role in the neighborhood watch

At the time the homeowners association decided to organize a neighborhood watch, George Zimmerman was the only volunteer. He was then chosen as the neighborhood watch coordinator by his neighbors, according to Wendy Dorival, who organizes Neighborhood Watch for the Sanford Police Department. The February 2012 Homeowner association newsletter requested that crime victims "call our captain, George Zimmerman" after calling the police. “He once caught a thief and an arrest was made,” said Cynthia Wibker, secretary of the homeowners association.

Police had been called 402 times from January 1, 2011, to February 26, 2012; Zimmerman had placed 46 of those calls. A list of previous crimes in the last year included eight burglaries, nine thefts and one other shooting in the year prior to Martin's death.

Zimmerman is licensed to carry a firearm. Sanford police chief Bill Lee said that while neighborhood watch volunteers are not encouraged to carry a gun, they have a Constitutional right to do so, stating, "Mr. Zimmerman was not acting outside the legal boundaries of Florida Statute by carrying his weapon when this incident occurred."

Sgt. Anthony Raimondo

Patrol sergeant Anthony Raimondo was the officer in charge of the shooting scene. Raimondo was also the officer in charge of another controversial case in 2010. In that case, a young adult attacked a homeless man. The perpetrator, Justin Collinson, was the son of a local police officer. Collinson was not arrested on scene.

Detective Chris Serino

Chris Serino is a Sanford Police homicide detective and was the lead investigator for the police on the night of the shooting. On the night of the shooting, Serino stated in an affidavit that he was unconvinced by Zimmerman’s version of events. Based on this affidavit, police sought an arrest warrant for Zimmerman. That request was reportedly denied by the Office of the State Attorney as it said there was not enough evidence to make an arrest.

Chief Bill Lee

Bill Lee, Chief of Police at the time of the shooting, received criticism for his role in the case. The Sanford city commission, including the Mayor, passed a motion of no confidence in regards to the police chief Bill Lee, and his handling of the case.

On March 22, 2012, Lee announced that he had temporarily stepped down from his position as chief of police, stating "my involvement in this matter is overshadowing the process."

State Attorney Norm Wolfinger

Norm Wolfinger is the State Attorney for the 18th Judicial district in the U.S. state of Florida, an office he has held since 1985. In his capacity as State Attorney, Wolfinger is responsible for prosecutions in both Brevard County and Seminole County with a combined population of about 1 million persons.

It has been reported that Wolfinger met, in person, with police leaders on the night of the shooting while Zimmerman was still in police custody. Chief Lee and Capt. Robert O'Connor reportedly decided to release Zimmerman without charges after the two officers met with Wolfinger.

On March 22, 2012, Florida Governor Rick Scott announced that Angela Corey would be the newly assigned State Attorney investigating the case, replacing Wolfinger. Corey has stated her office, not a grand jury, will decide whether to press charges in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. She went on to say, “I always lean towards moving forward without needing the grand jury in a case like this,” “I foresee us being able to make a decision, and move on it on our own.”

Shooting

Location

The Retreat at Twin Lakes is a private community in Sanford, Florida consisting of townhouses and condominiums. Vehicular access is by gates to the north and east, which are unguarded but electronically controlled. The development contains 263 houses built in 2004.

Prelude

During a break in an NBA basketball game on TV, Martin left his father's fiance's home in the gated community of Twin Lakes to walk to a nearby 7-Eleven convenience store to buy some Skittles and iced tea. While returning to the house, Trayvon was seen by George Zimmerman, who called the Sanford Police Department non-emergency number.

Martin's girlfriend

According to phone records provided by T-Mobile, Martin was speaking on a cell phone at the time of the incident. Martin's girlfriend came forward, identifying herself as the other person in that conversation; she was interviewed by an attorney, who has made a statement, and her parents have requested her anonymity. The girl said that Martin expressed concern about a strange man following him, and she advised him to run. She says she heard Martin say "What are you following me for?" followed by a man's voice responding "What are you doing here?" She said that she heard the sound of pushing and that Martin's headset suddenly went silent, leading her to believe that he had been knocked down. She attempted to call him back immediately, but was unable to reach him.

Zimmerman police call

Zimmerman phoned the Sanford Police Department police at the non-emergency number at approximately 7:00 p.m., February 26, 2012 to report what he considered to be suspicious behavior by Martin, which he described as "just walking around looking about" in the rain. The police dispatcher tape recorded him saying, "This guy looks like he is up to no good or he is on drugs or something." He further stated that the person he was observing had his hand in his waistband, was holding something in his other hand, and was walking around slowly in the rain looking at houses.

The dispatcher recommended that he not take any action, and informed him that police were on the way. Zimmerman reported that Martin had started running. The dispatcher asked him if he was following Martin and he affirmed that he was. The dispatcher informed him that this was not necessary, saying, "We don't need you to do that." Zimmerman affirmed "OK" and made arrangements to meet with police when they arrived.

Police arrival

When the police arrived, they reported finding Martin face-down and unresponsive, with a gunshot wound in the chest. The police report states that they attempted CPR, paramedics arrived and continued CPR, finally declaring him dead at 7:30 p.m. Statements by the police say Zimmerman had grass on his back, his back was wet, and that he was bleeding from the nose and the back of the head. Zimmerman was treated by paramedics while still at the scene of the incident. Subsequently, his lawyer stated that Zimmerman's nose was broken and received medical care for his injuries the next day. Zimmerman asserted self-defense, telling police he had stepped out of his SUV, when Martin attacked him from behind as he walked back to his vehicle. He said he fired the semiautomatic handgun, a Kel-Tec P-11, because he feared for his life. A statement by Sanford Police Chief Billy Lee concurred with Zimmerman's account of the events, saying that there was no evidence to dispute Zimmerman's assertion of self defense.

Martin was unarmed, and was carrying a bag of Skittles candy, a can of Arizona brand iced tea, US$22 in his pocket, and a mobile phone.

Immediately following the shooting, Trayvon Martin's body was transported to the morgue and was tagged as a John Doe. Trayvon's family criticized the police department for not identifying their son more quickly and also for not asking neighbors if they recognized Trayvon, who had been staying with his father in the gated community. The Washington Post notes a police report “that was completed at 3:07 a.m. on Feb. 27 lists Trayvon’s full name, city of birth, address and phone number.” However, Martin's father was not notified of his son's death until after he reported him missing when he did not return home by the next day.

Witness accounts

An eyewitness to the physical altercation just prior to the shooting stated that Martin was on top of Zimmerman and beating him up, while the older man yelled for help. This witness, who identified himself as "John", stated to Fox News Orlando WOFL that "the guy on the bottom, who had a red sweater on, was yelling to me, 'Help! Help!' and I told him to stop, and I was calling 911...And then, when I got upstairs and looked down, the guy who was on the top beating up the other guy, was the one laying in the grass, and I believe he was dead at that point." Martin’s mother has identified the shouting for help as her son Trayvon's voice, although Zimmerman claims he was the one calling out.

A 13-year old boy walking his dog saw a man on the ground shortly before the shooting and identified him as wearing red. His mother later disputed the testimony and claimed that the police pressured him into arbitrarily choosing what color the man was wearing, and that her son couldn't see any details in the dark.

Another witness, Mary Cutcher, believes "there was no punching, no hitting going on at the time, no wrestling" just prior to the shooting, though she neither saw the shooting nor the preceding altercation. The police say she gave an official account to them that agreed with Zimmerman's story. However Cutcher and her roommate told CNN journalist Anderson Cooper that their own account of the incident to the police did not agree with Zimmerman's, and that they had demanded that the police retract that incorrect statement. They also said, about the police's attitude at the scene, that "they were siding with him from the start" and that they heard the pair in their backyard and a "very young voice" whining, with no sounds of a fight. They heard a gunshot; the crying stopped immediately, and they saw Zimmerman on his knees pinning Martin down on the ground. After calling towards Zimmerman, he asked her to call the police.

Zimmerman's account of events

Zimmerman told police that he followed Martin, but lost track of him. Zimmerman claims he was returning to his car when Martin confronted him and asked "Do you have a problem?" He says he replied "No", and reached for his cell phone. Zimmerman says Martin then punched him in the face, knocking him down, and began beating his head against the ground. Zimmerman claims he called out for help while being beaten, before shooting Martin in self-defense.

ABC News obtained a surveillance video of Zimmerman being escorted into the Sanford police station after the shooting. An officer is seen pausing to look at the back of Zimmerman's head, but ABC claimed that no abrasions or blood can be seen in the video. The Daily Caller disputed this claim, and posted a still from the ABC video which it said shows what may be an injury on the back of Zimmerman's head. Joe Oliver, a friend of Zimmerman's, said Zimmerman told him he was "cleaned up by cops at the scene" that night before being taken to the station and that it was discovered the next day that Zimmerman's nose was broken. Craig Sonner, George Zimmerman's legal adviser, claims the video does not support or contradict Zimmerman's description. It is "very grainy," he told NBC's Today show. Sonner also said the injuries Zimmerman said he suffered were "later cleaned up." Zimmerman's brother, Robert Zimmerman Jr., told CNN that medical records will prove that his brother was attacked and that his nose was broken by Martin.

Aftermath

It has been suggested that this article be split into a new article titled Reaction to the shooting of Trayvon Martin. (discuss) (March 2012)

Zimmerman has not been charged with any crime, because he asserted the right of self-defense, and investigators said they could find no evidence disproving that assertion. According to Martin's father, Tracy Martin, when the family asked why Zimmerman had not been arrested, the police responded that he had a "squeaky-clean record" and they respected his educational background in criminal justice. Tracy Martin says that the revelation of Zimmerman's previous charge demonstrated his "propensity for violence" and that the police had lied to the family. Police ran a background check on Trayvon Martin, confirming that he had no criminal record, which caused Tracy Martin to further question why Zimmerman was not arrested after shooting and killing an unarmed teenager with no criminal history. The case has sparked national outrage and protests.

Recordings of eight calls to the police made on the night of the shooting were released by the Sanford police on March 17, 2012. Early press reports incorrectly indicated that the recordings included the sound of a single shot followed by a voice pleading or begging for help, and then a second shot, after which the voice immediately stopped. Later reports indicate that gun was fired only once. Zimmerman told police at the scene that he was the one crying out for help. The statement was corroborated by an eyewitness who said that Martin was on top of Zimmerman, beating him, as Zimmerman called for help. One witness, who had only heard but not seen the events, believed Martin was the one calling for help, and said that the police tried to get her to change her testimony to their assertion that it was Zimmerman calling for help. Another witness who also heard but did not see the events, Mary Cutcher, said that she believed the cry was from Martin and said that she did not believe that Zimmerman acted in self-defense, contending that she and her roommate heard Martin cry out, followed by a gunshot, whereupon they saw Zimmerman standing over his body.

It initially appeared that night of the shooting, Sanford police accepted Zimmerman's account at face value. Police Chief Lee said he did not have enough evidence to arrest Zimmerman. "In this case Mr. Zimmerman has made the statement of self-defense," Lee said. "Until we can establish probable cause to dispute that, we don't have the grounds to arrest him." In response to criticisms of the investigation, Lee responded that "We are taking a beating over this," and defended the investigation. "This is all very unsettling. I'm sure if George Zimmerman had the opportunity to relive Sunday, Feb. 26, he'd probably do things differently. I'm sure Trayvon would, too."

According to Zimmerman's father, in the wake of the controversy, George Zimmerman received death threats and moved out of his home. The New Black Panther Party has offered a $10,000 reward for the capture of George Zimmerman, and has announced that it was hoping to raise enough money within the next week to increase the reward to one million dollars. Film director Spike Lee re-tweeted an erroneous message purporting to be Zimmerman's address; it was later discovered to be that of an unrelated couple with an adult son with a similar name. The couple had to temporarily move out of their home to avoid harassment. Lee apologized to the couple and reached a settlement with them.

Investigations and other official statements

Multiple investigations are ongoing.

On March 20, the FBI and the Justice Department announced that they were opening investigations into the incident. The state governor, Rick Scott, has asked the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to investigate the shooting.

On March 20, 2012, State attorney Norm Wolfinger announced that a Seminole County grand jury would be convened on April 10, 2012 to investigate the death of Martin. However, State attorney Angela Corey, who was assigned to the case by Governor Rick Scott, stated her office, not a grand jury, will decide whether to press charges in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. Angela Corey stated that, “I always lean towards moving forward without needing the grand jury in a case like this,” “I foresee us being able to make a decision, and move on it on our own.”

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi made a statement on March 20 regarding the case:

"I am both devastated and deeply troubled that young Trayvon Martin lost his life in a shooting. When someone loses his life at the hands of another, there cannot be any questions surrounding the circumstances of the death. ... I have spoken to FDLE Commissioner Bailey, whose agency is now involved, and I know that a complete and thorough review of the facts will be conducted. FDLE has skilled investigators of the highest caliber, and no stone will be left unturned in this investigation. While the Seminole County State Attorney's Office has the sole authority regarding a charging decision by law, I will remain vigilant in ensuring that questions are answered."

President Barack Obama, speaking to reporters on March 23 after federal investigators were deployed to Sanford, said, "When I think about this boy, I think about my own kids, and I think every parent in America should be able to understand why it is absolutely imperative that we investigate every aspect of this."

Allegations of racism

Against Zimmerman

The shooting also resulted in allegations that Zimmerman was motivated by racism. Critics disparaged what they perceived to be Zimmerman racially profiling Martin. Thousands of people attended rallies around the country to demand Zimmerman's arrest, including a gathering on March 22 of civil rights leaders including Al Sharpton, Martin Luther King III, Dick Gregory, and others. Charles M. Blow of The New York Times commented that the case touched upon longstanding concerns about racial profiling, inequitable treatment under the law, and overall racial strife.

Defense of Zimmerman's character

In an open letter, Zimmerman's father, Robert Zimmerman, defended his son against allegations that his actions were racially motivated, stating that Zimmerman was part Hispanic, was raised in a multiracial family, and "would be the last to discriminate for any reason whatsoever," saying that the portrayal of his son as a racist "could not be further from the truth." However, Robert went on to say that "At no time did George follow or confront Mr. Martin," a claim which is contradicted by Zimmerman's own words in his phone call to a police dispatcher in which he said he was following Martin. Zimmerman's lawyer Craig Sooner stated that Zimmerman is not a racist, and that he had mentored black youths in the past. Joe Oliver, a former television news reporter who is acquainted with Zimmerman, noted "I'm a black male and all that I know is that George has never given me any reason whatsoever to believe he has anything against people of color."

Accusation of jumping to conclusions

African-American commentator Thomas Sowell wrote, "The man who shot the black teenager in Florida may be as guilty as sin, for all I know — or he may be innocent, for all I know. We pay taxes so that there can be judges and jurors who sort out the facts. We do not need Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton or the President of the United States spouting off before the trial has even begun. Have we forgotten the media's rush to judgment in the Duke University "rape" case that blew up completely when the facts came out?"

Against the Sanford police

For not arresting Zimmerman, the Sanford police have faced heavy criticism, protests, and allegations of racial bias. Over 2 million people have demanded Zimmerman's arrest via a Change.org petition by Trayvon's mother. The NAACP wrote U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder expressing "no confidence that, absent federal oversight, the Sanford Police Department will devote the necessary degree of care to its investigation" and requesting that personnel be detailed to Sanford to review the case without bias. Lee repeatedly defended the investigation, stating that the Sanford police did not feel they had conducted a racially biased investigation and welcomed a review of their efforts. Allegations were also made that the Sanford police were protecting Zimmerman. A witness who reported that she heard Martin cry out for help and subsequently saw Zimmerman standing over Martin's body, said that police only took a brief statement from her, despite her attempts to provide more detail. Lee told reporters that they could not arrest Zimmerman because no evidence contradicted his story, and that to do so would leave the police open to litigation. He also said that although 911 did instruct Zimmerman not to pursue Martin, those instructions are only recommendations that do not carry the force of law.

Three out of the five members of the Sanford city commission, including the Mayor, passed a motion of no confidence in regards to the police chief Bill Lee, and his handling of the case; however, the vote is advisory only. One member of the council, Mark McCarty, then asked for Lee to step down. The City Manager, Norton Bonaparte Jr., stated that he would not make a decision regarding Lee until more information from the investigation was available.

On March 22, 2012, Lee announced that he had temporarily stepped down from his position as chief of police, stating "my involvement in this matter is overshadowing the process." Lee further stated that,"I do this in the hopes of restoring some semblance of calm to a city which has been in turmoil for several weeks." Lee also insisted his agency did a fair and thorough investigation and he could not lawfully arrest Zimmerman because evidence backed up his claim of self-defense.

Legal issues

Self-defense laws in the United States, particularly regarding justifiable homicide, vary by state. Florida law, as of 2005, includes a "stand your ground" provision, under which a person can use deadly force if they reasonably believe it is necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm, in most circumstances. In many states, such laws protect people in their own homes, but Florida's version extends the no-retreat premise to vehicles and public places. After the shooting, media reports had indicated that Zimmerman most likely would use the Stand Your Ground provison in Florida's self-defense law. However, Craig Sonner, attorney for George Zimmerman, on March 23, 2012, stated that the Stand Your Ground law was not applicable in this case, but that this was still a case of self-defense. According to Durell Peaden, one of the sponsors of the Florida law, the law does not say that a person has a right to confront another. "When said 'I'm following him', he lost his defense." However, the same article goes on to write that, "Peaden and Baxley said they didn’t know all the facts of the case, so their interpretations of what happened could change if new information arises during the investigation."

Media coverage

For the first 10 days after Trayvon Martins's death, the story was only covered by the Florida media. On March 8, 2012, CBS News acting on a tip it received from the network’s local bureau in Atlanta, Georgia, obtained an exclusive interview with Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton that was broadcast on CBS This Morning. Benjamin Crump, the family's attorney, who had been retained to pursue legal action and to persuade the news media to cover the case, arranged for the interview to take place.

Also on March 8, The Huffington Post and TheGrio.com, affiliated with NBC News, started to cover the case as well. The next day on March 9, 2012, ABC World News featured the story on their nightly broadcast. CNN first reported on the case on March 12, 2012, and by the end of that week, radio hosts and bloggers were also reporting on the story. National coverage started to increase the week of March 12 and intensified after March 16, when tapes of 911 calls were released to the public.

See also

• Yoshihiro Hattori
• Bernhard Goetz
• Joe Horn shooting controversy
• Murder of Shaima Alawadi
• Latasha Harlins

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External links

• Sanford Florida Police Report
• Sanford Police FAQ on the incident
• Video: George Zimmerman at Police Station after the shooting ABC News
• George Zimmerman police call reporting Trayvon Martin Orlando Sentinel
• What Everyone Should Know About Trayvon Martin] from Think Progress
• Trayvon Martin collected news and commentary at The New York Times
• Template:WSJtopic
• Trayvon Martin collected news and commentary at The Guardian

• Current events from March 2012
• Articles to be split from March 2012
• 2012 in Florida
• 2012 deaths
• Deaths by firearm in Florida
• Gun politics in the United States
• Seminole County, Florida