Crime & Safety

Country Grappling with Shooting of Unarmed Teen

Online petitions have called for the arrest of the volunteer neighborhood watch captain who shot a 17-year-old in Sanford, Fla.

One of the biggest stories in the news this week is the continued debate over the shooting of 17-year-old Florida teenager, Trayvon Martin.

Martin, who was unarmed, was shot on Feb. 26 by a neighborhood watch captain in his town of Sanford, Florida. The captain, George Zimmerman, said he fired his handgun in self-defense. Police Chief Billy Lee has said there is no information to dispute that's what happened and has refused to arrest Zimmerman.

In the meantime, Martin's family has called for the state Attorney General, the FBI and the Dept. of Justice to investigate the shooting. Allegations have been made the the killing may have been racially motivated. This week, Lee stepped down temporarily while the investigation continues.

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The case has caused nationwide protests and has questioned both gun use laws in Florida and the issue of whether race played a factor in the shooting of an unarmed teen.

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