Trayvon Martin was a 17-year-old African American high school student whose death on February 26, 2012, became a national focal point for issues of racial profiling. He was fatally shot by George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, who had identified Martin as suspicious and pursued him despite a 911 operator's instruction not to. Although Martin was unarmed, Zimmerman claimed self-defense and was ultimately acquitted of both murder and manslaughter. This verdict, combined with the circumstances of the shooting, triggered a nationwide outcry and widespread public demonstrations.