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Hundreds come out for Trayvon Martin rally

Posted at 7:00 PM, Jul 20, 2013
and last updated 2013-07-20 19:00:30-04

RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) - Hundreds braved the sweltering heat in downtown Richmond pushing for further federal investigation into the circumstances surrounding Trayvon Martin’s death.

People came together to send one message: "Justice for Trayvon."

One week after a Florida jury decided that Zimmerman was not guilty, there has been a wave of protests throughout the country, reacting to the George Zimmerman verdict.

Saturday, Mayor Dwight Jones joined other city and religious leaders, calling the shooting death of Trayvon Martin a travesty.

"All of us know that something needs to be done needs to be done about 'Stand Your Ground' because Trayvon Martin didn't have any ground to stand on,” Mayor Dwight Jones said.

"An individual who is unarmed is approached and accosted by somebody who is armed and he ends up dead," Mayor Jones added.  "Something is not morale.  Something is not right."

Across town in South Richmond, the case took on a different tone in the Latino community.

"A lot of people like to criticize and talk about it because it can happen to you," Gustavo Rodriguez said.  "It can happen to anyone.”

They say the fact that George Zimmerman is half-Latino is not important, but that the verdict is once again putting race back into the forefront.

"I don't think it should be that way because we are human beings," Rodriguez said.  "It doesn't matter what color you are or what race you are.  You still have a heart."

Richmond was one of more than 100 cities “Justice for Trayvon” vigils, planned by Reverend Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, taking place outside of courthouses across the country.