On the evening of February 26, 2012, Trayvon Martin, a 17-year old African American boy from Florida, was fatally shot by George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer. Zimmerman was charged with second-degree murder but was found “not guilty” in July of 2013. The following text contains the formal remarks of President Barack Obama after the trial. As students read, they should take notes on how President Obama addresses the various reactions to the ruling in his speech. This text is for 10th grade students.