George Zimmerman has now had 8 run-ins with police since killing Trayvon Martin
George Zimmerman has been involved in another shooting, according to a tweet from the Lake Mary, Florida, police department.
No other details were immediately available. What we do know is that it’s the eighth time, at least, that the man who killed Trayvon Martin has had a run-in with police since shooting the unarmed black teen in February 2012.
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To be sure, some of these encounters were trivial, and none has resulted in charges.
Here’s a quick primer on Zimmerman’s previous seven encounters with police in Florida and, in one instance, Texas.
January 9, 2015: Arrested for throwing wine bottle at girlfriend
According to the Orlando Sentinel, Zimmerman got in a fight with his girlfriend this winter (we’re not sure if they’re still together), allegedly throwing a wine bottle at her. The incident happened in Lake Mary, Florida, just a few minutes from Sanford, where Trayvon was shot. (For the most part, Zimmerman has remained in a small geographical radius in Central Florida.) Volusia County judge John Galluzzo ordered Zimmerman to turn over his firearms; he wasn’t charged.
September 10, 2014: Questioned in road rage incident
Zimmerman allegedly pulled up next to a fellow driver and threatened him, then followed him to a Circle K parking lot. He allegedly asked the other driver, “Do you know who I am?” Two days later, that other driver called police when he noticed Zimmerman in his truck outside his workplace. The other driver involved, who wished to remain anonymous, decided not to press charges, and Zimmerman escaped arrest.
November 18, 2013: Arrested for pointing shotgun at girlfriend
Zimmerman’s then-girlfriend, Samantha Scheibe, called police in Apopka, Florida, saying he had entered her home, breaking her things, and pointing a shotgun at her during an argument. Scheibe decided she wanted the case dropped.
September 9, 2013: Questioned for pointing gun at estranged wife and father-in-law
George’s estranged then-wife, Shellie Zimmerman, called police saying George had punched her father, smashed her belongings, and threatened her and her father with a gun. Authorities claimed Shellie’s iPad, which she was allegedly using to record video of the incident, was damaged irreparably during the fight, killing most of the concrete evidence. Shellie also decided not to pursue the case further, claiming she wanted to just be done with the divorce and end her marriage “with a whimper and not a bang.”
September 4, 2013: Speeding ticket
Police in Lake Mary clocked Zimmerman going 60 in a 45-mph zone. This time around, he didn’t have a weapon in his car.
August 19, 2013: Traffic stop
A Florida Highway Patrol officer in Brevard County pulled Zimmerman over for having too-dark window tints and an obscured license plate. Zimmerman told the officer he had tinted his windows because he was receiving death threats. The stop was filed as a “courtesy warning,” and Zimmerman didn’t have to pay any fines or change his tints.
July 2013: Traffic stop in Texas
Police pulled Zimmerman over for speeding in Forney, Texas, outside of Dallas. Dashcam video of the stop shows the officer warning Zimmerman, “Don’t play with your firearm, okay?” Zimmerman got off with a verbal warning. Nobody ever really explained what he was doing in Texas.
Finally, it’s worth mentioning that Zimmerman was accused of assault and abuse twice prior to Martin’s death.
Arielle Castillo is Fusion’s culture editor, reporting on arts, music, culture, and subcultures from the streets on up. She’s also a connoisseur of weird Florida, weightlifting, and cats.
Rob covers business, economics and the environment for Fusion. He previously worked at Business Insider. He grew up in Chicago.