On February 26, 2012, a 17-year-old African-American named Trayvon Martin was shot and killed in Sanford, Florida. The shooter was George Zimmerman, a 28-year-old white man. (Zimmerman was described by the police as white. According to his family, he is also Hispanic.) Zimmerman admits killing Martin, but claims he was acting in self-defense. Weeks after Martin's death, no arrest has been made and Zimmerman remains free. .
Here is what everyone should know about the case:.
1. Zimmerman called the police to report Martin's "suspicious " behavior, which he described as "just walking around looking about. " Zimmerman was in his car when he saw Martin walking on the street. He called the police and said: "There's a real suspicious guy. This guy looks like he's up to no good, on drugs or something. It's raining and he's just walking around looking about These a**holes always get away " [Orlando Sentinel].
2. Zimmerman pursued Martin against the explicit instructions of the police dispatcher:.
Dispatcher: "Are you following him? ".
Zimmerman: "Yeah ".
Dispatcher: "OK, we don't need you to do that. " .
[Orlando Sentinel].
3. Prior to the release of the 911 tapes, Zimmerman's father released a statement claiming "[a]t no time did George follow or confront Mr. Martin. " [Sun Sentinel].
4. Zimmerman was carrying a 9 millimeter handgun. Martin was carrying a bag of Skittles and a can of iced tea. [ABC News].
5. Martin weighed 140 pounds. Zimmerman weighs well over 200 pounds. [Orlando Sentinel; WDBO].
6. Martin's English teacher described him "as an A and B student who majored in cheerfulness. " [Orlando Sentinel].
7. Martin had no criminal record. [New York Times].
8. Zimmerman "was charged in July 2005 with resisting arrest with violence and battery on an officer. The charges appear to have been dropped. " [Huffington Post].
9. Zimmerman called the police 46 times since 2004. [Daily Beast].
10. According to neighbors, Zimmerman was "fixated on crime and focused on young, black males.