Black Lives Matter: George Zimmerman

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Black Lives Matter started in 2012 after Trayvon Martin was shot and killed by George Zimmerman in his hometown of Sanford, Florida while walking home from the convenience store after purchasing a can of iced tea and a bag of skittles. Zimmerman told police that he shot Trayvon in self-defense after following him for a few minutes because he was acting suspicious. On the night of the crime, Zimmerman was held at the police station for only five hours before being discharged. He was charged with second degree murder but eventually found not guilty of his crimes. The case gained national attention soon after Trayvon died, when his family created an online petition to have George Zimmerman arrested. With the use of the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter on social media, the petition went on to gain over two million supporters.