Video from http://www.youtube.com/v/SlqwSc8J8NU
It has been over 20 days since 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was shot and killed with a 9mm pistol in his father’s gated community in Florida on February 26th. Walking home from the local convenience store where he bought Skittles and a can of iced tea, Trayvon was identified as “suspicious” by the leader of the community’s Neighborhood Watch, George Zimmerman. Trayvon Martin was African-American.
Zimmerman allegedly called 911 to report a suspicious person walking around in the neighborhood and was told by police to take no action, to which Zimmerman responded, ”These assholes always get away.”
Minutes later, there were reports of shots being fired. Witnesses have been emerging and have faced some difficulty in getting the police to record their full testimonies, but have noted hearing a cry of help from the boy just before shots were fired. The youngest witness who saw the shooting take place, a 13-year-old boy, is still struggling with what he saw and the fact that Zimmerman has not yet been arrested. Other witnesses are arguing that the police department tampered with witness evidence at the scene of the crime.
The Martin family sued the police department for access to the 911 tapes, which they finally had the chance to listen to late last week. The family claims that the tapes make it absolutely clear that the teen was pursued by Zimmerman and that Zimmerman was not acting in self defense. According to one witness who heard the cries for help:
“This was not self-defense. We heard no fighting, no wrestling, no punching. We heard a boy crying. As soon as the shot went off, it stopped, which tells me it was the child crying. If it had been Zimmerman crying, it wouldn’t have stopped. If you’re hurting, you’re hurting.
The family, witnesses, and commentators are noting the racial components to the case.
The police department recently turned over the case to the State’s Attorney’s Office. The family continues to search for justice in the killing of their son and brother.
