ORLANDO, Fla. — The federal Justice Department says it has begun an investigation into the fatal shooting death of an unarmed black teen in Florida by a neighborhood watch captain.
The agency said late Monday that it will perform an independent review of the evidence and take appropriate action.
Police have described the man who fired the shot, 28-year-old George Zimmerman, as white; his family says he is Hispanic and not racist.
Zimmerman claims he shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin last month in self-defense during a confrontation in a gated community in Sanford.
College students around Florida rallied Monday to demand the Zimmerman's arrest, though authorities say they may be hamstrung by a state law that allows people to defend themselves with deadly force.
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