Killing of Trayvon Martin
Map of Sanford, Florida | |
| Date | February 26, 2012 |
|---|---|
| Time | 7:09 p.m. EST (start) 7:16 p.m. (gunshot on 911 call) 7:17 p.m. (police car arrives) 7:30 p.m. (Martin declared dead) |
| Location | The Retreat at Twin Lakes in Sanford, Florida, U.S. (See aerial views of points of interest.) |
| Coordinates | 28°47′35″N 81°19′47″W / 28.79295°N 81.32965°W |
| Type | Homicide by shooting |
| Participants | George Zimmerman (shooter) |
| Deaths | Trayvon Martin |
| Non-fatal injuries | Fractured nose, lacerations to the back of the head. (Zimmerman) |
| Charges | Second-degree murder, lesser included offense of manslaughter. |
| Trial | Florida v. Zimmerman |
| Verdict | Not guilty |
On the evening of February 26, 2012, in Sanford, Florida, United States, George Zimmerman fatally shot Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old African-American teenager.
Zimmerman, a 28-year-old multiracial man who identifies as Hispanic, was a neighborhood watch coordinator for the gated community where Martin was visiting relatives at the time of the shooting. Zimmerman became suspicious of Martin and called police. During an altercation, Zimmerman shot and killed Martin with a pistol.
In a widely reported trial, Zimmerman was charged with second-degree murder for Martin's death. He was later acquitted by a jury after saying he acted in self-defense. Martin was unarmed during the encounter. The incident was reviewed by the Department of Justice for potential civil rights violations, but no additional charges were filed.