February 26, 17-year-old high school student Trayvon Martin was walking back from a convenience store when he was confronted by George Zimmerman. Zimmerman called 911 when he saw the boy, saying he looked suspicious and like he was on drugs, and that there had been break-ins in the area. He described him as a man, and that he was wearing a hoodie. After he got off the call with 911, he confronted Trayvon, there was an altercation, and Zimmerman shot and killed him, claiming it was in self defense. Police arrived due to his 911 call almost immediately after. Zimmerman was taken into custody, questioned, then released. Trayvon's parents are not informed until the next day when his father filed a missing person report. In April, Zimmerman was charged with second-degree murder, but only after a petition for his arrest passed the million signature mark, and amid much outcry over Trayvon's death. His trial began June 10th, and on July 13th, the jury found him not guilty.
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Even before Trayvon, there were many needless murders of black women and men by police as well as civilians, most of whom never saw justice. So in my next post, I will go back another 13 years to another death at the hands of the police.
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