Who was Trayvon Martin and what was his cause of death?
Teenager's death sparked the Black Lives Matter movement amid public outcry over his killer's acquittal
UNARMED teenager Trayvon Martin was fatally shot by neighbourhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman in 2012.
The shooting sparked the Black Lives Matter movement amid a public outcry over the gunman's controversial acquittal - we take a look at what's happened since that tragic day.
Who was Trayvon Martin?
Trayvon Martin was just 17-years-old when he was shot dead by neighbourhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman in Sanford, Florida.
The unarmed teen was walking home from a 7-Eleven after purchasing Skittles and an iced tea when he was targeted by Zimmerman.
Martin, who was was born in Miami, was a junior at Dr Michael M. Krop High School in Miami-Dade.
Before his death he had brushed aside his dream of becoming an American football player and had chosen to pursue a carer working with aeroplanes.
The Black Lives Matter movement, which aims to protect black people against civil and human rights abuses, is rooted in the injustices around Martin's death.
Who was George Zimmernan?
George Zimmerman, who was born in Manassas, Virginia, was acquitted of second-degree murder after he shot dead Martin.
He has remained the subject of media attention ever since amid the ongoing controversy around the killing.
He had moved to Florida after graduating and worked for an insurance agency.
Zimmerman was volunteering as a neighbourhood watch volunteer when he killed Martin.
On May 11, 2015, Zimmerman tried to auction off the gun he had used in the shooting.
He called the the weapon an "American firearm icon" and said the money from the sale would got to combating violence against police by the Black Lives Matter movement.
The gun was removed from the auction site gunbroker.com the next day.
Why did George Zimmerman shoot Trayvon Martin and what happened afterwards?
Martin, who was African American, was in a convenience store buying sweets and a canned drink on February 26, 2012.
After he had left the store he walked through a neighbourhood in Florida that was notorious for robberies.
Zimmerman spotted him and called the police to report him for suspicious behaviour.
Moments later the pair had a physical altercation and Martin was shot in the chest - the gun used belonged to Zimmerman as Martin was unarmed.
Zimmerman, who was injured in the scrap, was not charged at the time of the shooting by Sanford Police.
They said there was no evidence to refute his claim of self-defence.
National media then covered the killing and Zimmerman was subsequently charged and tried over Martin's death.
What happened after Trayvon Martin's death?
Zimmerman went on trial charged with second-degree murder over the shooting of 17-year-old Martin.
The State claimed Zimmerman profiled Martin before confronting him and shooting him in the chest.
The State's case was that Martin was not committing a crime at the time - he was walking home after purchasing items at a local mart.
Zimmerman claimed in his trial that he shot Martin in self defence.
After sixteen hours of deliberation over the course of two days, Zimmerman was found not guilty on all counts by a six-person jury.
Did Trayvon Martin's parents release a book?
In 2017, the parents of teenager Trayvon Martin released a book entitled "Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin".
It was written almost exactly five years since Martin was fatally shot.
Sybrina Fulton, Trayvon Martin's mother, says the book is intended as a means to heal, to share with the world the Trayvon Martin his parents knew and loved, and to describe the impact Martin's death and surrounding events had on their lives.
In the book, Fulton discusses how her son ended up becoming a "martyr" and "symbol of racial injustice" after his killer was acquitted.
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What has George Zimmerman done now?
Zimmerman has allegedly threatened Beyoncé and husband Jay-Z over a docuseries produced by the rapper.
Jay-Z was co-executive producer on 'Rest In Power: The Trayvon Martin Story', a six-part series looking at the life and death of the teenager shot and killed by Zimmerman in 2012.
In a series of text messages obtained , Zimmerman called Beyoncé a “broke w****” and promised she and Jay would “find themselves inside a 13 foot gator" if he ever saw them.
The indirect threats on the stars' lives are set to appear in the upcoming finale of the six-part documentary series, due air on Monday, September 10 2018.
The messages were allegedly sent when Zimmerman was contacted by private investigator Dennis Warren who was tracking down participants for the series.
Warren found himself on the receiving end of hundreds of harassing messages and voicemails from Zimmerman, who was subsequently charged with stalking and harassing Warren.
Zimmerman also allegedly targeted hateful messages at Michael Gasparro, who executive produced the series alongside Jay-Z, as well as members of the production crew.
How was the 10th anniversary of Trayvon's death commemorated?
On February 26, 2022, ten years after Trayvon's murder, leaders gathered at the Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network in Harlem to remember the gravity of his passing.
Trayvon's mother and activist, Sybrina Fulton, and Mayor Eric Adams were among the attendees.
“We have to continue to hold people accountable for killing our loved ones,” Sybrina Fulton said in her speech. “We have to continue to support our children, our families…We can’t give up. We’ve come too far... Ten years later, I’m still standing strong."
Mayor Adams thanked Fulton for her perseverance and for starting the Trayvon Martin Foundation.
“Today, we see the fruits of her harvest in the foundation that she has established to continue to pursue the justice we are looking for,” the mayor said.
“Trayvon was shot and killed because of who he looked like, that is what you’re seeing,” said Adams. “If someone is Asian, they are being murdered because of who they look like. If we stand our ground for Trayvon, we are standing our ground for every group in the city," he added.
Former President, Barack Obama, also made a few remarks on the anniversary of Trayvon's death.
He told the that, “one of the most important things that came out of this tragedy was the activation of an entire new generation of civil rights leaders.”