The killing of Sanford, Florida teenager Trayvon Martin has sparked widespread media coverage over the past few days. Martin, a 17 year-old African American, was shot three weeks ago by an overzealous self-appointed neighborhood watch gunman as he was walking to a friend's house in a gated community. His apparent crime? Wearing a hoodie while black.
The shooter, George Zimmerman, had an arrest in 2005 for violently resisting arrest and battery on an officer, and is known in his neighborhood for his aggressive tactics and attitude. He was told by a 911 operator not to follow Martin, who was unarmed. Zimmerman ignored the police and confronted Martin. The Sanford police are also being accused of not following procedure in investigating the killing and in not placing Zimmerman under arrest. At the request of the Martin family, the FBI is said to be monitoring the developments.
When armed paranoids like Zimmerman take the law into their hands and start shooting innocent people, it's time the justice system comes down hard on them.
