The Department of Justice will reopen its investigation of Trayvon Martin's shooting death after George Zimmerman was acquitted in the state case, the agency announced on Sunday.
Last year the DOJ suspended its probe to allow Florida's state prosecution to proceed, but will now step back in to determine if federal prosecutors should file criminal civil rights charges, the Associated Press reports.
The announcement came as the weekend ruling sparked protests across the US. President Obama addressed the nation on Sunday, calling the death of Trayvon Martin a tragedy and urging Americans to focus on "calm reflection," the Huffington Post reported.
"I know this case has elicited strong passions. And in the wake of the verdict, I know those passions may be running even higher," Obama's statement read. "But we are a nation of laws, and a jury has spoken."
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