[Jeff Winston]

Zimmerman showed remarkable restraint in waiting that long before drawing his pistol and only firing one shot. A law officer in that position would have used his weapon much sooner and would likely have emptied his magazine into his or her attacker. And it makes no difference that the attacker is ‘unarmed’. Head trauma can kill.

Absolutely.

[digger48]

Z didn’t have the chance to draw it after being blind-sided until TM made a move for it when exposed in the struggle.

According to other articles, gun jammed because the close range kept the slide from fully ejecting the first casing.

LEO or a gun-toting, trigger-happy, black-hating vigilante would have had the gun drawn and ready for action.