Trayvon Martin's Last Call Reveals He Refused to Run
As the investigation into the shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin begins, new evidence pointing to Martin's innocence is being released. The final phone call he made to a friend shows that although Martin was wary of George Zimmerman, he refused to run away.
"He said this man was watching him, so he put his hoodie on," an unnamed 16-year-old girl told the Martin family's attorney Benjamin Crump. "He said he lost the man. I asked Trayvon to run, and he said he was going to walk fast. I told him to run, but he said he was not going to run," ABC News reported.
Martin did try to flee from Zimmerman's pursuit, but found himself cornered.
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"Trayvon said, 'What are you following me for?' and [Zimmerman] said, 'What are you doing here?'" she said. "The next thing I hear is somebody pushing, and somebody pushed Trayvon because the head-set just fell. I called him again and he didn't answer the phone."
Those were the last recorded moments of Martin's life.
Zimmerman had, against the orders of a 911 dispatcher, followed Martin and confronted him. The two got into a scuffle; Zimmerman pulled out a 9 mm pistol and shot Martin, killing him inside the gated community.
Zimmerman has maintained his innocence, stating that he shot Martin in self-defense. He has not been arrested or charged with murder, but public outcry has been overwhelming and now the FBI is getting involved with the case. A grand jury will hear evidence in case, which is currently being investigated at the state and national level.
Florida's laws are unique and allow anyone who feels threatened to "stand his or her ground" and use deadly force. In this case, however, Martin was unarmed, and it is not clear whether he made a direct threat against Zimmerman.
"He knew he was being followed and tried to get away from the guy, and the guy still caught up with him," Trayvon's father Tracey told ABC News. "That's the most disturbing part. He thought he had got away from the guy, and the guy back-tracked for him."
"The department will conduct a thorough and independent review of all the evidence and take appropriate action and the conclusion of the investigation," stated the Justice Department. "Negligence, recklessness, mistakes, and accidents are not prosecutable under the federal criminal civil rights laws."
The local Neighborhood Watch organization that Zimmerman was a part of forbids members from carrying any weapons.
"It should be emphasized to members that they do not possess police powers. And they shall not carry weapons or pursue vehicles," the manual states.
"When George Zimmerman is arrested, tried and convicted, I will get a little rest," Tracey Martin told ABC News.
