George Zimmerman: Prelude to a shooting

Reuters ^ | April 25, 2012 | Chris Francescani

[Free ThinkerNY]

(Reuters) - A pit bull named Big Boi began menacing George and Shellie Zimmerman in the fall of 2009.

The first time the dog ran free and cornered Shellie in their gated community in Sanford, Florida, George called the owner to complain. The second time, Big Boi frightened his mother-in-law's dog. Zimmerman called Seminole County Animal Services and bought pepper spray. The third time he saw the dog on the loose, he called again. An officer came to the house, county records show.

"Don't use pepper spray," he told the Zimmermans, according to a friend. "It'll take two or three seconds to take effect, but a quarter second for the dog to jump you," he said.

"Get a gun."

That November, the Zimmermans completed firearms training at a local lodge and received concealed-weapons gun permits. In early December, another source close to them told Reuters, the couple bought a pair of guns. George picked a Kel-Tec PF-9 9mm handgun, a popular, lightweight weapon.

By June 2011, Zimmerman's attention had shifted from a loose pit bull to a wave of robberies that rattled the community, called the Retreat at Twin Lakes. The homeowners association asked him to launch a neighborhood watch, and Zimmerman would begin to carry the Kel-Tec on his regular, dog-walking patrol - a violation of neighborhood watch guidelines but not a crime.

Few of his closest neighbors knew he carried a gun - until two months ago.

On February 26, George Zimmerman shot and killed unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin in what Zimmerman says was self-defense. The furor that ensued has consumed the country and prompted a re-examination of guns, race and self-defense laws enacted in nearly half the United States.

[Defiant]

Zimmerman's attention had shifted from a loose pit bull to a wave of robberies that rattled the community, called the Retreat at Twin Lakes

Do we know if Trayvon had visited that community before the week he was shot?

[dragnet2]

The more ya hear about this case, the better Zim looks.

[DannyTN]

"The homeowners association asked him to launch a neighborhood watch, and Zimmerman would begin to carry the Kel-Tec on his regular, dog-walking patrol - a violation of neighborhood watch guidelines but not a crime. "

So much for the Media lie that Zimmerman was a "self-appointed" neighborhood watch captain.

[Dogbert41]

I’d rather see the outlaw of hoodies.

[Defiant]

Just finished reading it. This is what used to pass for journalism. Thanks for posting.

[DIRTYSECRET]

When acquitted a community needs to come forward and ask the Zimmerman family to consider moving to their town. If no community or it’s leaders come forward than this is truly-hate to say it-”A nation of cowards.”

[JRandomFreeper]

"It'll take two or three seconds to take effect,

Pepper spray, yes. Oven cleaner, no.

/johnny

[SoFloFreeper]

Great line from the article, one that tells the story of how blacks in this country are ostracized if they don't join up with the Obama/Sharpton lynch mob:

"Let's talk about the elephant in the room. I'm black, OK?" the woman said, declining to be identified because she anticipated backlash due to her race. She leaned in to look a reporter directly in the eyes. "There were black boys robbing houses in this neighborhood," she said. "That's why George was suspicious of Trayvon Martin."

IGNORED BY THE NATIONAL AND FLORIDA MEDIA: not so much this woman's opinion on the case, but the fact that blacks who do not buy into the Obama/Sharpton lynch mob mentality are afraid to be named!

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The New Black Racists ain’t gonna like this.

[DuncanWaring]

Not only is he a White Hispanic, he’s also a White Black.

[2ndDivisionVet]

"...The 28-year-old insurance-fraud investigator comes from a deeply Catholic background and was taught in his early years to do right by those less fortunate. He was raised in a racially integrated household and himself has black roots through an Afro-Peruvian great-grandfather - the father of the maternal grandmother who helped raise him...."

[Our man in washington]

So now it’s a black-on-black shooting. The media can ignore it now.

[2ndDivisionVet]

http://www.wstx.us/

[samtheman]

Though civil rights demonstrators have argued Zimmerman should not have prejudged Martin, one black neighbor of the Zimmermans said recent history should be taken into account.

“Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. I’m black, OK?” the woman said, declining to be identified because she anticipated backlash due to her race. She leaned in to look a reporter directly in the eyes. “There were black boys robbing houses in this neighborhood,” she said. “That’s why George was suspicious of Trayvon Martin.”

[Charles Martel]

The 28-year-old insurance-fraud investigator comes from a deeply Catholic background and was taught in his early years to do right by those less fortunate. He was raised in a racially integrated household and himself has black roots through an Afro-Peruvian great-grandfather - the father of the maternal grandmother who helped raise him.

So, George is a white-black-hispanic. Ben Crump is greatly saddened.

[Road Glide]

Although Reuters is a usually-left-leaning outfit, this article on the whole seems balanced and neutral towards him.

Why is it that we, as Americans, now have to rely on “offshore” news organizations to offer up detailed reporting such as this?

What has happened to American journalism?

[bgill]

Police found Demeacis's laptop in the backpack of 18-year-old Emmanuel Burgess, police reports show, and charged him with dealing in stolen property

Trayvon had jewelry and a screw driver in his backpack. Coincidence?

Good article until the last few sentences but I will give Reuters credit for stepping back from the koolaid stand. When can we expect this story to be picked up by CNN and the NYT?

[Big Mack]

They can't ignore it now, the tee shirts are printed.

[GreyHoundSailor]

Crossbows are ideally suited for such 4-legged pests.