On the night of February 26, 2012, inSanford, Florida, United States, George Zimmerman fatally shotTrayvon Martin, a 17-year-old African-American high schoolstudent. Zimmerman, a 28-year-old man of mixed race, was theneighborhood watch coordinator for his gated community where Martinwas visiting his relatives at the time of the shooting. Zimmermanshot Martin, who was unarmed, during a physical altercation betweenthe two. Zimmerman, injured during the encounter, claimedself-defense in the confrontation.
In a widely reported trial, Zimmermanwas charged with murder for Martin's death, but acquitted at trialafter claiming self-defense. The incident was reviewed by theDepartment of Justice for potential civil rights violations, but noadditional charges were filed, citing insufficient evidence.
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Parties involved
Trayvon Martin
An undated personal photo of TrayvonMartin wearing a hoodie was displayed by protesters and sold bymerchants on hoodies, T-shirts, and keychains, prompting the familyto trademark slogans using his name
Trayvon Benjamin Martin was theson of Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, who were divorced in 1999. Hewas a junior at Dr. Michael M. Krop High School and lived with hismother and older brother in Miami Gardens, Florida. On the day hewas fatally shot, he and his father were visiting his father'sfiancée and her son at her town home in Sanford, Florida. She livedin The Retreat at Twin Lakes, a gated community Martin had visitedseveral times before.
According to his autopsy, Martin was 6feet 2 inches (1.90 m) tall and weighed 158 pounds (72 kg) at thetime of his death.
George Zimmerman
George Michael Zimmerman wasborn in Manassas, Virginia, and is the son of Gladys (née Mesa)Zimmerman, born in Peru, and Robert Zimmerman Sr., a retired Virginiamagistrate. At the time of the shooting, Zimmerman was employed asan insurance fraud investigator. He had been working toward anassociate degree in criminal justice at Seminole State College. Inone of his interviews with the police, he said his goal was to becomea judge.
At the time of his arrest on April 11,2012, Zimmerman's height was reportedly 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 m) andhis weight 185 lb (84 kg), according to the Seminole County Sheriff'sOffice Inmate Booking record.[ Zimmerman's height was shown as 5feet 8 inches (1.73 m) and his weight at 200 lb (91 kg) on theSanford Police Department Offense Report for February 26, 2012, thenight of the shooting.
