Obama adds to outcry over killing of boy, 17

Trayvon Martino was shot on 26 February by a neighbourhood watch security volunteer who claimed he was acting in self-defence.

Mr Obama said that if he had a son he would look just like the 17-year-old.

He said “every aspect” of the case, that has rallied civil rights activists, should be investigated.

“I can only imagine what these parents are going through and when I think about this boy I think about my own kids,” Mr Obama said.

“If I had a son he’d look like Trayvon. I think they are right to expect that all of us as Americans take this with the seriousness that it deserves and we’re going to get to the bottom of what happened.”

Mr Obama said that “every parent in America should be able to understand why it is absolutely imperative that we investigate every aspect of this and everybody pulls together, federal state and local, to figure out exactly how this tragedy happened.”

The US Justice Department and FBI have opened a civil rights investigation and a jury is considering whether to charge George Zimmerman, who acknowledged shooting the teenager in self-defence. The boy’s parents, civil rights activists and others say they will not be satisfied until Zimmerman is arrested.

Police chief Bill Lee stepped down temporarily this week amid furore at failing to arrest Zimmerman.

Hours later, governor Rick Scott announced that the local state attorney, Norman Wolfinger, had withdrawn from the case in hopes of “toning down the rhetoric” surrounding it.