by CAROLINE GAVURA Section Editor
Only a year after the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman is in the news again for allegedly threatening his estranged wife and father-in-law with a gun at their home in Lake Mary, Florida.
After filing for divorce, Shellie Zimmerman made a surprise visit back to the home she was staying at with her husband before the split to pick up the rest of her belongings, and emotions ran high.
In the frantic 911 call made by Zimmerman on September 9, 2013, she claimed she feared for her life because her estranged husband was sitting in his car outside their home with his hand on a gun.
This is not the first incident Zimmerman has had since his acquittal in July. He has been pulled over for speeding multiple times, and appeared in photos at a gun maker that were published online.
“Zimmerman is obviously trying to be reckless because he thinks he got away with murdering an innocent child. So he has the mindset that he can literally get away with anything now, and acts upon it like a crazy person,” said senior Edwin Vega.
Mrs. Zimmerman also told the dispatcher that her husband had punched her father in the face, saying, “He’s threatening all of us with a firearm … He punched my dad in the nose. I don’t know what he’s capable of. I’m really scared.”
There was also an iPad at the scene, which was allegedly smashed by Zimmerman’s husband. It was sent to a lab to see if it can be repaired due to the fact there may be a video of the domestic argument on it.
When police arrived at the scene an hour later, they did not find a gun on Mr. Zimmerman; however, Lake Mary Chief of Police, Steve Bracknell, claims the gun was in Zimmerman’s car, but the police did not have the authority to search it.
“Why in God’s name does George Zimmerman still own a gun?” said junior Cori Haider.
Disputes such as the Zimmerman’s in the midst of divorce is common, according to Mr. Zimmerman’s attorney, Mark O’Mara, and said his client never had a gun nor did he punch his father-in-law.
George Zimmerman has been involved with domestic abuse before; his former fiancee filed for a restraining order against him, alleging domestic violence, in 2005.
Because no weapon or video evidence was found at the scene, and Mrs. Zimmerman and her father did not want to press charges, no one was arrested.
Do you think this incident was an honest misunderstanding? Or is Zimmerman getting away with too much?