SANFORD, Fla., March 25 (UPI) -- Police in Sanford, Fla., urged people not to resort to vigilante justice in the uproar over the shooting of black teenager Trayvon Martin.
The appeal was issued after the militant New Black Panther Party announced it was offering a $10,000 bounty for what it termed the "capture" of George Zimmerman, the Neighborhood Watch volunteer who shot Martin to death last month in a confrontation in a gated community.
Zimmerman claimed he fired in self defense and was not charged. Police and city officials said in a written statement any attempts to capture Zimmerman would be frowned upon.
"The city is requesting calm heads and no vigilante justice," the statement said. "Attempts by civilians to take any person into custody may result in criminal charges or unnecessary violence."
The New Black Panthers, however, vowed to track down Zimmerman and called for 10,000 black men to volunteer for the manhunt. It was not clear what the Panthers intended to do with Zimmerman if they did catch him since he was not wanted by authorities.
"If the government won't do the job, we'll do it," Panther leader Mikhail Muhammad told the crowd at Saturday's protest.
The Orlando Sentinel said the call to action did not appear to resonate much with the crowd.
"We believe in a message of justice, not hate," said Pastor Moses Brown. "We believe justice will come through the court system."
