http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/st...s-03282012
Robert Zimmerman says George Zimmerman was going to the store when he saw someone he did not recognize as living in the community.
"Because there have been a lot of break-ins in the area, he thought that was suspicious that someone would not be walking on the street or the sidewalk. That he'd be walking by the town homes," Zimmerman said.
That's when Zimmerman says his son called police.
"He called the non-emergency number first, and they asked him where he was. Because he was at the rear of the townhouses and there was no street sign," Zimmerman said.
Even though a dispatcher told Zimmerman not to follow Martin, his father says he continued walking to locate an address to give to police.
"He lost sight of the individual, he continued to walk down the same sidewalk to the next street so he could get an address for the police. He went to the next street, realized where he was, and was walking to his vehicle," Zimmerman said.
That's when Robert Zimmerman says Trayvon Martin walked up to George Zimmerman.
"It's my understanding at that point Trayvon Martin walked up to him, asked him, 'do you have a f---in problem?' George said 'no, I don't have a problem,' and started to reach for his cell phone. At that point, he was punched in the nose, his nose was broken, and he was knocked to the concrete," Robert Zimmerman said.
"Travyon Martin got on top of him and started beating him, in his face, nose, hitting his head on the concrete," he continued
Zimmerman said during the scuffle, Martin threatened George Zimmerman's life.
"After nearly a minute of being beaten, George was trying to get his head off the concrete, trying to move with Trayvon on him, into the grass. In doing so, his firearm was shown. Trayvon Martin said something to the effect of 'you're going to die now,' or 'you're going to die tonight.' Or something to that effect. He continued to beat George and at some point George pulled his pistol and did what he did," Robert Zimmerman said.
"So you're saying Trayvon Martin verbally threatened his life?" Valerie Boey asked.
"Yes," Zimmerman replied.