President Barack Obama Issues Statement on George Zimmerman Acquittal

Sunday afternoon, President Barack Obama issued a call for calm in the wake of Saturday's George Zimmerman acquittal.

The news of the acquittal Saturday night spread rapidly across the nation, soliciting strong reaction from those pro & anti Zimmerman.

Part of the President Obama's statement says, "But we are a nation of laws, and a jury has spoken. I now ask every American to respect the call for calm reflection from two parents who lost their young son."

While no large-scale rioting took place after Zimmerman's acquittal, social media become an outlet for those vehemently protesting the jury's decision over the past 18 hours.

If you're on a mobile device, the full text of the President's statement can be also be read below:

The death of Trayvon Martin was a tragedy. Not just for his family, or for any one community, but for America. I know this case has elicited strong passions. And in the wake of the verdict, I know those passions may be running even higher. But we are a nation of laws, and a jury has spoken. I now ask every American to respect the call for calm reflection from two parents who lost their young son. And as we do, we should ask ourselves if we’re doing all we can to widen the circle of compassion and understanding in our own communities. We should ask ourselves if we’re doing all we can to stem the tide of gun violence that claims too many lives across this country on a daily basis. We should ask ourselves, as individuals and as a society, how we can prevent future tragedies like this. As citizens, that’s a job for all of us. That’s the way to honor Trayvon Martin.