This Day in History: , Trayvon Martin Is Shot and Killed. February 26, 2012. 17-year-old Martin was shot and killed by 28-year-old George Zimmerman as he was walking home from a Sanford, FL, convenience store. After reporting Martin as suspicious, Zimmerman followed the unarmed teenager despite police dispatch advice to stop. After the shooting, Zimmerman claimed to have acted in self-defense during a physical altercation. He was questioned but not arrested by arriving police. Martin had no criminal record. His murder sparked nationwide protests, prompting President Barack Obama to say, “If I had a son, he would look like Trayvon.”. Zimmerman was eventually charged with second-degree murder by a special prosecutor appointed by Florida’s governor. Following a month-long trial, a jury of six women found Zimmerman not guilty