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NAACP asks state for review in fatal teen shooting case

SANFORD, Fla.,SANFORD, Fla. — The NAACP sent a letter to the Department of Justice asking for a review in the case of a teenager who was shot and killed by a neighborhood watch leader in Sanford.

In the letter officials said: "The NAACP has no confidence that absent federal oversight, the Sanford Police Department will devote necessary degree of care to its investigation."

On Tuesday, the Sanford Police Department handed over the investigation to the State Attorney's Office. 

It will then be up to the State Attorney's Office to decide if charges will be filed against George Zimmerman.

Zimmerman is accused of killing the teen, but no charges have been filed.

On Monday, the Sanford police chief told reporters and concerned citizens that detectives just don't have enough evidence to prove that the shooting was not self-defense.

Minutes after Sanford police announced their investigation into the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was nearly finished, a group of residents questioned the results.

"How can you justify that shooting?" said Sanford resident James Davis.

The group of Sanford citizens raised their own questions about the shooting and said they want justice.

So far, 28-year-old George Zimmerman has not been charged in the death. Police reported he was bloody and appeared to have been on the ground before he fired on the teen.

Zimmerman said he was acting as a community patrol in the neighborhood and he'd just called 911 to report a suspicious person.

When police arrived the teen had been shot after neighbors called again to report some sort of fight.

"We don't have anything to dispute his claim of self-defense," said Sanford Police Chief Bill Lee.

But the teen was not armed and some believe the shooting was an unjust reaction to Martin simply walking to a home where he was staying after buying candy from a nearby convenience store.

The boy's family has their own attorney, who expressed concern about whether police have done their job properly.

"This family has no trust that this police department will do the right thing," said the family's attorney Natalie Jackson.

"This person decided to take the law into their own hands, and I can't fathom what was going through his mind," said homeowner Cheryl Brown.

Some residents claim that Zimmerman may have been on edge. They said it's because of a recent crime spike in the predominately white-gated community.

"We had a robbery over here. Someone came right on this woman's porch," said homeowner Darlene Stewart.

Police officials did not provide crime statistics to confirm the homeowners' claims.

However, other residents immediately dismissed the claims, and said there is another reason why Zimmerman shot and killed an unarmed black teenager.

"I think he profiled him. I think it was a hate crime and he should be charged," said one neighbor.

WFTV has revealed details of a 2005 arrest where Zimmerman was charged with battery on law enforcement after he cursed at an officer and shoved him as he tried to arrest employees of a bar.

Now even city officials are concerned about whether Zimmerman was really protecting himself against the unarmed teen.

Some city leaders are concerned about the lack of charges.

"There are some very serious questions I have about the fact as to why he was not arrested," said Sanford District 2 Commissioner Velma Williams.

Zimmerman has not commented at all on the case publicly. The police department will turn over the evidence it does have to the state attorney's office on Tuesday.

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