The U.S. Department of Justice had no comment on the $10,000 bounty the New Black Panther Party (NBPP) was offering for a "citizen's arrest" of George Zimmerman, the 28 year old man who told Sanford, Florida Police he shot and killed 17 year old Trayvon Martin on February 26 in an act of self-defense.According to a number of reports, the NBPP "called for the mobilization of 10,000 black men" to do the "arrest." Zimmerman and his family have received death threats since the case became a national issue. Mr. Zimmerman has not been arrested by local authorities. Federal, state, and local investigations of the shooting are happening, and he is currently in hiding.
In an e-mail response to an inquiry, DOJ Office of Public Affairs' Xochitl Hinojosa wrote: "The FBI is aware of the statements and we are unable to comment at this time."
Rep. Allen West, Florida Republican, posted a statement on his FaceBook page calling on the Justice Department to prosecute the NBPP for the bounty: