REPORT:
A 17-year-old male walked home during the evening. A 28-year-old male who was armed reported the teenager as "suspicious" during his walk. During the call to report the teenager, it was confirmed that he was continuing to the follow the teenager against the advice of the dispatcher. The adult man approached the teenager. A violent altercation occurred approximately 120 feet away from the residence where the teenager was staying at the time. Eye witness accounts report that the teenager had the adult male pinned against the ground, but the altercation resulted in the adult man shooting the teenager in the chest once. This wound was fatal and the teenager died. This entire event took place over the course of about 10 minutes.
INVESTIGATION:
The adult man was tried for shooting the seventeen year old male. He was not a law enforcement officer at the time of the incident, but was involved in a neighborhood watch for his gated community. The adult man was questioned but released fives hours after being picked up. There was evidence of a physical altercation, and his clothes were kept as evidence in the investigation. Ultimately, an arrest was not made after the questioning was completed. There were eight reports made on the night of the incident and a number of eyewitness accounts.
RESULTS:
A trial was held without a grand jury. The adult man was acquitted of criminal charges after pleading his actions were in self-defence-defense. No other consequences occurred for the adult as the result of these events.
DISCLAIMER: The events described are actually the events that occurred resulting in the death of Trayvon Martin. He was killed by George Zimmerman who did not face any consequences for taking the life of an innocent teenager.
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