On Feb. 26, Trayvon Martin, a 17 year old, was shot and killed. The event took place in a gated community, in the town of Sanford, FL. A month later, the shooter, George Zimmerman, has yet to be arrested for the crime. Already, over 900,000 people have signed online petitions calling for the arrest of Zimmerman.

On the night of shooting, Martin was on his way home from the convenience store where he purchased a package of Skittles and iced tea. Martin was making his way back to his future step-mother’s house when Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch guard, spotted the teen.

Zimmerman immediately called the police and reported that a suspicious black man was walking around the neighborhood. Zimmerman said he thought the man looked like he could be on drugs.

Zimmerman then got out of the car and followed the teen. The 911 operator asked Zimmerman if he was following the teen to which he replied, yes. The operator then told Zimmerman that they did not need him to do that. The operator then arranged for a police car to meet Zimmerman by the neighborhood mailboxes. Instead of walking to the mailboxes, Zimmerman proceeded to follow Martin.

Martin was on the phone with his girlfriend when Zimmerman started following him. The girl, who wishes to remain anonymous, has stated that Martin saw a man following him and was frightened. She then heard Zimmerman demand Martin account for himself. Martin asked why he was being followed. According to the girl, it sounded like Martin was pushed. The line then was disconnected.

Zimmerman then shot Trayvon Martin. Many witnesses say they heard a gun shot then Martin begging for his life and then a second shot was fired. After the second shots witnesses say they could not hear Martin’s pleas any longer.

Zimmerman pleaded self defense claiming that Martin reached for his gun and had shoved him to the ground. Zimmerman’s lawyer insisted that Zimmerman’s nose had been broken in the scuffle with the 17 year old. But, a police video shows footage that Zimmerman had no bruises or scraps, on his head.

In the state of Florida, a law commonly known as “stand your ground” allows Zimmerman to claim self defense and not be arrested.

The law states that a person may use deadly force in self-defense when there is reasonable belief of a threat, without an obligation to retreat first.

Kansas has a similar law to “stand your ground”. Kansas’ Legislature adopted a stand-your-ground law in 2006 and revised it some in 2010. Simply put, the law means if a person isn’t doing anything illegal and is attacked by someone, that person doesn’t have to first try to run away but can stay and use reasonable force in self-defense.

A Topeka rally is planned to push for the repeal of the Kansas stand-your-ground law.