News

Who Shot At George Zimmerman?

by Clarissa-Jan Lim

On Monday, after a road rage incident in Lake Mary, Florida, reportedly led to a shooting, an official confirmed in a press conference the involvement of George Zimmerman and Matthew Apperson in the shooting. Lake Mary Police spokeswoman Bianca Gillett told reporters that the investigation was in the preliminary stages. No charges or arrests were made. The relationship between Zimmerman and Apperson dates back to 2014, when Apperson claimed Zimmerman told him, "I'll fucking kill you," and allegedly later showed up at his workplace, when Apperson called 911.

According to Gillett, slightly before 1 p.m. on Monday, Zimmerman flagged down a police officer in central Florida and reported that he was shot at while driving his pickup truck. At the same time, a 911 call came in from a third party, identified by Gillett as Apperson, reporting his involvement in the incident. She said police waited for both men's lawyers to arrive before questioning them.

Kenneth Cornell, an employee at a business near the scene, told CNN that a man (Apperson) had driven up to him, yelling, "I shot George Zimmerman, call 911. I don't have a phone." Cornell also said that Apperson told him it was the third incident between the both of them. Police have not verified Cornell's account.

In a press conference on Monday, Apperson's attorney said that his client acted in self-defense, but that he would not say anything more about the incident in the event his comments might obstruct the investigation. Bustle has contacted Zimmerman's attorney Don West for a comment.

Zimmerman was treated for minor injuries — his attorney said his injuries were from shattered glass from the bullet that was fired — and released from Central Florida Regional Hospital, USA Today reported. Gillett said that the 911 call will be ready for release on Tuesday and confirmed that Zimmerman was not the shooter. She revealed little else, saying that the department was not releasing any more details from the investigation.

Monday's incident was not the first time Apperson, who is currently in police custody, had a run-in with Zimmerman. Last September, the two men were involved in another road rage incident in which Zimmerman reportedly threatened to kill Apperson, asking him, "Do you know who I am?" Zimmerman then allegedly continued to follow Apperson even as he called the police in fear of his safety.

Pool/Getty Images News/Getty Images

The shooting is the latest in a string of violent incidents that Zimmerman has been involved in after his notorious 2013 acquittal for fatally shooting Trayvon Martin, a black teenager. Months after his acquittal, Zimmerman was pulled over for speeding in Texas and reportedly carried a firearm in the vehicle.

Later that year, the Florida resident again made the news after being arrested after his girlfriend claimed domestic violence, though she later dropped the charges; Zimmerman was not prosecuted. In January this year, Zimmerman was arrested on suspected aggravated assault and domestic violence.

Image: Getty Images