It was all God’s plan, says killer of teen
UNITED STATES: George Zimmerman, the neighbourhood watch volunteer who shot dead an unarmed black teenager in a case that reignited racial tensions in America, has described the incident as ‘‘God’s plan’’.
Zimmerman is charged with murder after shooting 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida, in February. He admits killing Trayvon but says he fired in selfdefence.
Fox News broadcast an interview with the 28-year-old this week in which he was asked if he regretted leaving his vehicle on the evening in question or regretted carrying a gun. ‘‘No sir, I feel that it was all God’s plan,’’ he said.
Zimmerman once again apologised to Trayvon’s parents and said he prayed for them every day. But his comments about God’s plan drew an angry response from the couple.
‘‘I simply really don’t know what god George Zimmerman is worshipping because there’s no way that the God that I serve had in his plans for George Zimmerman to murder my son,’’ said Trayvon’s father, Tracy.
His mother, Sybrina Fulton, said: ‘‘I have a hard time accepting it because he also said that he doesn’t regret anything that he did that night, and I don’t think God would have him in his plan to murder an innocent child.’’
Zimmerman gave an account of the evening he shot Trayvon. He said that he was going to buy food when he saw Trayvon skipping between houses in the complex. He said he followed Trayvon and the pair came face to face.
Zimmerman says Trayvon asked him what his problem was before punching him in the face. He says a scuffle ensued, leaving Zimmerman pinned under Trayvon on the floor.
Zimmerman’s gun, which was in a holster at his side, became exposed and he claimed that Trayvon saw it and said: ‘‘You’re gonna die tonight.’’ Asked about the moment he reached for his weapon, Zimmerman said he first felt Trayvon’s hand reach for the gun. ‘‘That’s when I didn’t have any more time,’’ he added.
Later in the interview, after initially saying he had no regrets, Zimmerman asked to readdress the question and added: ‘‘I do wish that there was something, anything, I could have done that wouldn’t have put me into the position where I had to take his life.’’ Asked about a possible racial motivation behind the shooting, Zimmerman said: ‘‘I’m not a racist, and I’m not a murderer.’’
Looking directly into the camera, Zimmerman said: ‘‘I do want to tell everyone, my wife, my family, my parents, my grandmother, the Martins, the city of Sanford and America that I’m sorry that this happened.’’