George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer who gunned down 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, used a racial slur during a 911 call to police. Zimmerman called 911 to report a ” a real suspicious guy” in his gated community in Sanford, Florida on Feb. 26.
Zimmerman, 28, later told police that he stepped out of his truck to read a street sign when Trayvon attacked him from behind.
Zimmerman said he fired his .9mm handgun in self-defense. Trayvon, who was carrying a bag of candy and a can of iced tea, died from a single gunshot wound to the chest.
The full audio of the call has been released (without the police edits) — and now the public knows that Zimmerman is at the very least a racist.
During that call, Zimmerman, who has knowledge of police procedures, sets up a scenario for a Stand Your Ground law defense – “he’s got his hand in his waistband,” “he’s coming toward me,” “he’s got something in his hand,” etc.
“These assholes always get away,” he told the dispatcher. At the 2:21 mark, Zimmerman clearly says the words “fucking coons” under his breath. The dispatcher immediately asks Zimmerman if he’s following Trayvon. “Yeah,” Zimmerman replies. “OK, we don’t need you to do that,” says the 911 operator.
According to ABC News, Trayvon was on his cell phone talking to a teenage girl moments before his death.
From ABC News:
Martin told a teenage girl that he was “hounded by a strange man on a cellphone who ran after him, cornered him and confronted him.” “‘He said this man was watching him, so he put his hoodie on. He said he lost the man,’ Martin’s friend said. ‘I asked Trayvon to run, and he said he was going to walk fast. I told him to run but he said he was not going to run.’ Eventually he would run, said the girl, thinking that he’d managed to escape. But suddenly the strange man was back, cornering Martin. ‘Trayvon said, ‘What are you following me for,’ and the man said, ‘What are you doing here.'”
President Obama has reportedly decided not to weigh in on the Trayvon Martin case. “Obviously, we’re not going to wade into a local law enforcement matter,” said a White House spokesman.
But the Justice Department and the FBI have now opened an investigation to determine if Zimmerman or the Sanford police department violated Trayvon’s civil rights.
