Shot by George Zimmerman in 2012, seventeen year old Trayvon Martin had his life cut short. Zimmerman, who volunteered for his local neighborhood watch committee in Sanford, Florida, and while out on watch one February night, he claimed to see a suspicious subject wandering around houses. Zimmerman called 9-1-1, and the dispatch operator told him to stay put and wait for authorities to arrive. Instead, Zimmerman took action and went after Martin, and during the altercation Martin was killed. Zimmerman claimed Martin began attacking him before Zimmerman decided to protect himself. When the case went to trial, Zimmerman was acquitted of the homicide of Martin, even though he contradicted orders given to him by police to stay put and to not try …show more content…
By enforcing the duty to retreat before resorting to force the saving and changing of lives may take place. In reality, some situations lack the amount of seriousness to consider deadly force as the best measure to take. An example of a serious situation in which the laws should protect is shown through a life or death circumstance that John Kirkpatrick was found in. Kirkpatrick, a concealed carry permit holder, faced an intruder in his home on Friday, July 5, 2013. His nightmare began with his wife doing errands in town, while the UPS driver had just dropped off a package, and John, getting ready for dinner with his wife, remained in the back bedroom of their home. Suddenly, he heard the back door shut, knowing his wife had not returned, he wondered if the UPS deliverer forgot to drop off another package or needed a signature. Then, as John turned the corner of the doorway, a strange man raised his pistol at John, who quickly dropped to the floor. John reached, raised, and fired his pistol toward the unwelcomed guest. Luckily, with John’s pistol at his hip and a fast reaction, a hole in his T-shirt and damage to a wooden table remained the harm done. Unfortunately though, the intruder escaped with no trace left behind (Kirkpatrick). Many times with “Stand Your Ground” laws, the end result becomes unfortunate for one side; although, Kirkpatrick had been fortunate enough to see his wife again and to walk away with no injuries. Contrastingly, Trayvon Martin’s family remained in devastation for a long time after his death and nothing could repair the damage done. His family was never going to see him again. Moreover, with the revision of SYG laws the saving and changing of lives will take place for victims, perpetrators, and the families of