People are entitled to share their own opinions, but it’s grossly irresponsible and unethical for a “professional” publication (especially a magazine aimed at children) to blatantly lie to their readers. Sadly, that is precisely what Teen Vogue has done as they have attempted to turn Trayvon Martin into a martyr.

Almost five years ago, 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was shot and killed by a “neighborhood watch” member as he walked home from a convenience store where he had purchased a juice drink and a package of Skittles. George Zimmerman, the man who shot Trayvon, believed him to be “possibly dangerous” because of his race and the fact that he was wearing a hoodie.

Trayvon’s murder – and Zimmerman’s eventual acquittal – incited nation-wide outrage and was part of launching the powerful Black Lives Matter movement. To this day, Trayvon’s name serves as a reminder of the progress that is necessary in order to improve the very real problem of police brutality and racism.

Today (February 5) would have been Trayvon’s 22nd birthday. All across social media, people are pausing to pay homage to Trayvon’s memory, while reminding the world that his life was taken prematurely and unfairly.

The article’s author, De Elizabeth, doesn’t just play fast and loose with her opinion, but objectively lies about the circumstances surrounding Martin’s February 26, 2012 death.

Trayvon Martin was not killed “while he walked home.”  Trayvon Martin was killed because he came up behind a man, confronted him, launched a sneak attack, and committed felony assault. Neither Martin’s race nor the fact he was wearing a hoodie had anything at all to do with why George Zimmerman shot Martin with a Kel-Tec PF9.

Nor, as Elizabeth so glibly and easily lies, was Martin “murdered.” There was a trial. George Zimmerman was found not guilty of any crimes. Zimmerman’s shooting of Trayvon Martin was ruled lawfully justified self-defense because the violent, drug-abusing Martin committed a violent felony crime that put Zimmerman’s life in danger.

The easily confused—or simply dishonest—writer then tried to claim the self-defense shooting by a private citizen with a concealed carry permit was “a reminder of the progress that is necessary in order to improve the very real problem of police brutality and racism.”

Excuse me?

It quite clearly has nothing to do with law enforcement or allegations of police brutality. Further, George Zimmerman, the man the news media fabricated into a “white Hispanic,” is tri-racial. If Elisabeth had done even basic research for her fawning story over this false martyr, she would have known that Zimmerman called the police because of Trayvon Martin’s actions—suspiciously lurking outside the window a recently robbed housing unit in the rain—and was unaware of Martin’s race until he was already on the phone with the 911 dispatcher.

Finally, Trayvon Martin’s life was not “taken prematurely and unfairly.”

Trayvon Martin was a violent criminal who brutally attacked and committed felony assault on a older, weaker man because he apparently felt that Zimmerman disrespected him. He forfeit his life when he mercilessly beat George Zimmerman “MMA-style” from a top mount position as Zimmerman screamed for help from neighbors who didn’t want to get involved.

Trayvon Martin was a violent criminal who was killed while attempting to seriously hurt or kill George Zimmerman.

If there is any lesson to be learned from the death of Trayvon Martin, it is this: do not visit felony criminal violence upon your fellow man, as he is morally, ethically, and legally justified in defending his life from your violent attack.