Beleaguered Sanford Police Chief Bill Lee, Jr. is temporarily stepping down amidst growing anger over his handling of the investigation into the tragic shooting death of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin. The move comes a day after the city commission gave a vote of "no confidence" in Lee.

"I am aware that my role as a leader of this agency has become a distraction from the investigation," he told reporters at a hastily called press conference Thursday afternoon. "It is apparent that my involvement in this matter is overshadowing the process. Therefore, I have come to the decision that I must temporarily remove myself from the position."

CNN has more:

Lee's decision came as Justice Department officials met Thursday with the parents of Martin, who was unarmed when he was shot and killed by a neighborhood watch volunteer in an Orlando suburb.

The federal agency has launched a civil rights investigation into the case that has riveted the nation. Martin's family asserts that race was a factor in the black teenager's death.

The 17-year-old Martin died the night of February 26 after he was shot in the chest by 28-year-old George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch leader in the gated community where the young man lived. Martin was returning home from a 7-11, where he went to get some snacks. Zimmerman claimed he shot the teen in self-defense, even though Martin was unarmed.

Prior to shooting Martin, Zimmerman called 911, where he told the operator the young man seemed suspicious and that, "These assholes always get away." He was then instructed by the operator to stop following the boy.

According to an op-ed in the New York Times:

Despite being instructed by police to stay away, Zimmerman confronted Martin. The situation escalated quickly into violence. The police have yet to arrest Zimmerman, apparently because Florida’s Stand Your Ground law entitled Zimmerman to use deadly force.

Florida legislators, however, insist the Stand Your Ground law does not provide a defense for people like Zimmerman, who pursue and confront someone. Florida Senator Durrell Peadon, who sponsored the law, said that Zimmerman “has no protection under my law.” According to state Representative Dennis Baxley, “There’s nothing in this statute that authorizes you to pursue and confront people.” The law, Baxley notes, was designed only “to prevent you from being attacked by other people.”

Still, Zimmerman has not been arrested and remains a free man today.

USA Today has more:

Lee said Florida law prevented him from charging Zimmerman, which has sparked outrage nationwide.

Last week, as criticism grew, Sanford police turned the investigation over to the State Attorney's Office. A Seminole County grand jury is to review evidence April 10.

This week, as the story exploded nationwide through social media, the U.S. Justice Department and FBI announced that they had begun a civil right investigation.

A petition on change.org was also started, demanding the arrest and prosecution of Zimmerman, As of Thursday afternoon, the petition has gotten nearly 1.2 million signatures.

Demonstrations are also growing around the country.

The Rev. Al Sharpton headed to Florida on Thursday to lead a rally at a church in Sanford, WTVR reported.

A march is also scheduled to take place Friday morning involving students from several Florida universities. According to WTXL, "the 'March for Justice for the Murder of Trayvon Martin' will begin at 10 a.m. Demonstrators demanding justice for Martin will march from the Tallahassee Civic Center to the Capitol Mall.

And on Wednesday night in New York City, thousands came out to demonstrate at a protest attended by Martin's parents.

"George Zimmerman took Trayvon's life for nothing," Tracy Martin, the teen's father, said at the rally. "Our son did not deserve to die. There's nothing that we can say that will bring him back, but I'm here today to assure that justice is served and that no other parents have to go through this again."

"Our son is your son," said Martin's mother, Sybrina Fulton. "This is not about a black-and-white thing. This is about a right-and-wrong thing. Justice for Trayvon!"