Series shows how shooting of teen changed nation

Social justice, systemic racism and national reckoning are explored in “Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story,” a moving six-part documentary series offering fresh insight into the 2012 killing of the unarmed teenager by 28-year-old vigilante George Zimmerman.

The docu-series, which premiered Monday on BET and the Paramount Network, chronicles why the slaying of this young black man in Sanford, Florida, made headlines and inspired protests.

It delves deeply into the specifics of the 17-year-old’s homicide, the police investigation, the trial and the acquittal.

But the way in which directors Jenner Furst and Julia Willoughby Nason connect new and old details of the case with the case’s widespread effect is what makes “Rest in Power” a brutally honest look at the country since that fatal shooting.

Martin’s killing and Zimmerman’s acquittal helped ignite socialjustice movements such as Black Lives Matter, galvanized alt-right advocates around issues of white separatism and influenced the 2016 presidential election.

The series — inspired by a 2017 book by Martin’s parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, who co-produced the series with Shawn “Jay Z” Carter — strings together these many events and the ensuing protests over the shootings of other unarmed black men and women.

But for all the interviews with Martin’s parents, Zimmerman’s friends (he and his family declined to participate in the film), cops, prosecutors, lawyers and civilrights advocates, a few seconds of the 911 recording from that • "Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story" can be seen at 10 p.m. Mondays on BET and the Paramount Network.

evening in February 2012 are what prove most haunting.

The recording stems from Zimmerman’s 911 call from his car as he follows Martin, who is walking through the gated eastern Florida community where Zimmerman lived and where Martin is visiting. Zimmerman was armed with a 9-millimeter semiautomatic handgun. Martin was armed with a bag of Skittles and a can of Arizona iced tea.

Zimmerman tells the 911 operator: “He’s got his hand in his waistband.” “He’s wearing a hoodie.” “He’s a black man.” “These ..., they always get away.” “He’s running!”

“Are you following him?” asks the operator. Zimmerman says yes. The operator advises him not to do that. He does anyway.

Martin’s terrified, guttural scream of “Help!” — heard in the background of another 911 call made by a concerned resident — is the sound of homicide in real time. It’s brutal.

As for Zimmerman, we learn that his wife left him days before the shooting partly because of his anger issues, that he’d made dozens of other 911 calls about “suspicious” black men in his neighborhood and that he’d been arrested previously for resisting arrest.

The series reveals that Zimmerman, who auctioned off the gun he used to shoot Martin for a reported $250,000, threatened the show producers.

“Rest in Power” is infuriating and difficult to watch. Facing one of the ugliest chapters in a decade full of them probably doesn’t sound too appealing right about now, but the series merits a look.