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PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. – A U.S. police officer accused of bringing targets resembling the fatally shot teen Trayvon Martin to a gun range has been fired.

Port Canaveral Interim Chief Executive Officer John Walsh told WFTV on Saturday that Sgt. Ron King was leading a target practice with two other officers and a civilian when he pulled out the targets April 4. Walsh says King asked the group if they wanted to use the targets, and they said no.

The 17-year-old Martin was killed in 2012 by neighbourhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman in a case that led to protests over race and self-defence gun laws.

Zimmerman says he shot Martin, who was black, in self-defence. His trial is set for June.

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