That seems to be the unknown here. Did Zimmerman first attack Martin, possibly trying to detain him and Martin was the one initially defending himself or did Martin just go off on Zimmerman. A lot more needs to come out. Way too many folks are knee jerking on both sides of this.
Black teens commit a lot of crime. The reflex assumption is that a Neighborhood Watch guy won't go out of his way to look for trouble - after all, any given perp can find out very easily where he lives, given that he's a neighborhood guy, and wait around to bushwhack him.
I know this.
I have CHL, and with it come considerable responsibility.
You do not want to find yourself before a grand jury with people saying you were provoking the dead man.
Me personally?
I would never take a life over property, let alone the suspicion that property may me in play.
Having said that, If someone was on my property in dark of night, whom I did not know, Alarms would be ringing.
I think Zimmerman may have been over zealous in reporting and following this kid, and I could understand where that may have infuriated the kid and caused him to feel threatened.
An altercation may have ensued.
I think what we have here is a sad tragic incident.
What has me agitated is all of the people in this world trying to pin this on whitey.
There is no basis in fact for it, but I see the scenario forming.
Zimmerman’s 911 call has him saying that he is headed back to his vehicle, and has lost sight of Martin, then suddenly he is hit and it is all fight noises
Zimmerman said he lost sight of Martin, was returning to the truck and was attacked. That would fit this witnesses' account. At first Martins father claimed the voice yelling for help was not his son's. Allegedly he's now changed his mind.
It is clear the police had valid reasons for not arresting Zimmerman on that night. AFAIK they did not even hold him for questioning.