SANFORD, Fla. — An unarmed Florida teenager fatally shot by a neighborhood watch volunteer was suspended from school because traces of marijuana were found in his book bag, a spokesman for the teen’s family said Monday.
Trayvon Martin, 17, was suspended by Miami-Dade County schools after the residue was discovered in a plastic baggie in the book bag, spokesman Ryan Julison said. Martin was shot Feb. 26 by George Zimmerman while he was suspended from school and visiting this central Florida town with his father.
“We maintain that regardless of the specific reason for the suspension, it’s got nothing to do with the events that unfolded on Feb. 26,” Julison said.
Also Monday, state Department of Juvenile Justice confirmed that Martin does not have a juvenile offender record. The information came after a public records request by The Associated Press.
Zimmerman, 28, claimed he shot Martin in self-defense and has not been arrested. Because Martin was black and Zimmerman has a white father and Hispanic mother, the case has become a racial flashpoint that has civil rights leaders and others leading a series of protests in Sanford and around the country.
In another development, city officials appointed a 23-year veteran of the Sanford police department as acting chief. The appointment of Capt. Darren Scott, who is African-American, came days after Chief Bill Lee temporarily stepped down as the agency endured withering criticism over its handling of the case.
There have been rallies around the country as anger has spread over the shooting a month ago Monday.
Commissioners with the city of Sanford will also meet Monday for the first time since they gave Lee a no confidence vote.The meeting was moved from City Hall to the Sanford Civic Center to accommodate the expected large crowd.
Martin was returning to his father’s fiancee’s home from a convenience store when Zimmerman, 28, started following him, telling police dispatchers he looked suspicious. At some point, the two got into a fight and Zimmerman pulled out his gun.
Zimmerman has not spoken in public about the shooting. His lawyer, Craig Sonner, has denied there was any racial motive in the shooting.
A man identified as a friend of Zimmerman said Monday the neighborhood watch volunteer would tell the teen’s parents he’s “very, very sorry” if he could.