The case of Trayvon Martin, who was shot and killed by a neighborhood watch volunteer in Sanford, will go before a grand jury in April.
Florida state Attorney Norm Wolfinger made the announcement Tuesday morning, just hours after the FBI announced it was launching a probe into the 17-year-old's death.
The full statement from Wolfinger:
"I share in the desire of the family and the community to accurately collect and evaluate all the facts surrounding the tragic death of Trayvon Martin. That is why I directed the expeditious review of the investigation which was delivered by the Sanford Police Department one week ago today; areas for further investigation have been identified; and, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement has agreed to assist and has been working hard with my office since Friday March 16th.
"I will also be utilizing the investigative resources of the Seminole County Grand Jury which will be called to session on Tuesday, April 10, 2012.
"I respectfully request that the public remain patient as this process continues forward. We are a country based upon law, and as the State Attorney for the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit I am sworn to uphold those laws. As I have previously stated, the public is entitled to no less than a thorough, deliberate, and just review of the facts. We intend to honor that commitment."
Protesters met with Gov. Rick Scott in Tallahassee Tuesday. They want Scott to order an independent state investigation. Scott, for now, is favoring an incremental approach. Florida Dept. of Law Enforcement is working with the Sanford Police Dept.
NAACP town hall meeting
Pain and mistrust were clear at a town hall meeting Tuesday night, to "get some answers" about the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. More meetings are expected in the next two weeks.
The Seminole County branch of the NAACP hosted the meeting at Allen Chapel AME Church, which is located at 1203 Olive Avenue in Sanford.
The Sanford police chief and other city leaders were expected to be at the meeting Tuesday night. Neither the police chief, nor the mayor attended.
Outside the packed church, hundreds protested the Sanford Police Dept. and its investigation, calling for George Zimmerman's arrest.
The capacity crowd listened to speeches from the national president of the NAACP, Benjamin Jealous, Florida Rep. Geraldine Thompson, D-Orlando, and other officials. They all expressed their deep concern at how frustrated residents seemed to feel about not only the case, but the conduct of the Sanford police Dept. as a whole.
After listening to comments and stories from some of the people in the audience, Jealous announced that he would make time to listen to more of those people on Wednesday at noon at the church.
Thompson also promised that she would take on the controversial "Stand Your Ground" law next year in the legislature. That's the law that Sanford polcie say makes it hard for them to arrest George Zimmerman.
Meanwhile, Seminole County NAACP President Turner Clayton Jr. has been an outspoken community leader against the current investigation into the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.
He believes the announcement of a grand jury by State Attorney Norman Wolfinger is “just passing the buck.”
“The grand jury, that's the way the State Attorney is trying to take the pressure off themselves and putting it on the people to decide whether this individual should be indicted or not,” said Seminole County NAACP President Turner Clayton Jr.
“They just passing the buck right now and of course we expected that.”
Clayton Jr. said between now the grand jury date of Tuesday, April 10th on two things can happen.
“Either the State Attorney has to file formal charges or they convene the Grand Jury, like they're doing now,” Clayton Jr. concluded.
“I pray that God will move on their hearts, that all of the information that has been given, that they will see that there will be cause to charge him and make the arrest,” Houston added.
The Seminole County NAACP also plans on marching on the police department March 31 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Trayvon Martin's last moments
In an interview Tuesday morning on ABC's "Good Morning America," Trayvon Martin's girlfriend painted a different account of the last moments of his life before the shooting.
The girl, whose parents asked that she not be identified, said she was on the phone with Martin just seconds before he was shot and killed, and described what she heard as Martin was confronted by George Zimmerman, the volunteer who shot and killed the teen:
"He said this man was watching him. So he put his hoodie on. He said he lost the man.
"I asked Trayvon to run, and he said he was going to walk fast. I told him to run, but he said he was not going to run.
"Trayvon said, 'What are you following me for?' And the man said, "What are you doing here?' Next thing I hear is somebody pushing, and somebody pushed Trayvon, because the headset just fell."
That, the girl said, was when the phone line went dead.
Zimmerman confessed to the shooting, but claimed he was acting in self-defense. He has not been arrested or charged.
Federal and State agencies now getting involved
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the FBI, and the U.S Department of Justice's civil rights division all now involved in the case of Trayvon Martin.
A Seminole County grand jury will also gather to investigate the deadly shooting. Today the lawyer for the family of the slain teenager spoke out, saying he now has all the proof he was looking for.
The attorney for the Martin family, Benjamin Crump told reporters on Tuesday that all the pieces are in place for the arrest of George Zimmerman.
Crump says he now knows what he expected, and is demanding immediate action from law enforcement.
“Arrest George Zimmerman for the killing of Trayvon Martin in cold blood today,” said Crump.
State and federal agencies have since reacted. State Attorney Norm Wolfinger issued a statement that the FDLE will assist his office and a grand jury will convene on April 10th.
It all comes after newly released audio from calls to a non-emergency police line raised new questions about Zimmerman.
As a neighborhood watch volunteer, Zimmerman took his job seriously. Since January 2011, he has called police 46 times.
Many of those calls were to report young, black men in his neighborhood.
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Dispatcher: "Is he White, Black or Hispanic?"
Zimmerman: "Black."
Dispatcher: "Mr. Zimmerman can you describe the two individuals?"
Zimmerman: "Two African-American males."
Dispatcher: "What do they look like? Are they Black, White or Hispanic?"
Zimmerman: "Two black males in their late teens."
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Those calls could have fit the description of Trayvon Martin, whom Zimmerman said he shot and killed in self-defense.
We asked law enforcement officers if it was common for neighborhood watch groups to call as many times as Zimmerman had. All they said was that they do encourage neighbors to call whenever they spot something suspicious.
Many are saying the shooting was racially motivated and is a hate crime.
A statement from the Department of Justice reads:
“With all federal civil rights crimes, the government must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a person acted intentionally and with the specific intent to do something which the law forbids – the highest level of intent in criminal law."
A response the family says it has been fighting for all along.