Police face claims neighbourhood watch captain uttered racial slur to 911 operator before shooting unarmed black teen

Blacks shoot whites daily and it is mentioned only in passing -- so now that we have it the other way around there is huge outrage. There is no dispute that there was a fight before the shots. It seems clear that the kid attacked the white guy when the white guy pulled him up and the white guy shot in self-defense. That is why the police did not charge him at the time. The white guy did have injuries.

At 17 the black teen was no kid and could have been a serious danger to the white guy. See the undated picture below for some idea of that

If it is true that the white guy used improper language that is an entirely separate matter. If I was involved in a brawl, I imagine that I might use some uncouth words in the heat of the moment too



Police investigating the February shooting death of an unarmed black teenager by a neighbourhood watchman admitted today investigators may have missed a racial slur by the gunman during his 911 call moments before the killing.

In a call to dispatchers released at the weekend, George Zimmerman can be heard muttering what sounds like 'f***ing c**ns' under his breath as he followed 17-year-old shooting victim Trayvon Martin, police say.

The admission is the latest embarrassing misstep in the investigation, which has sparked outrage in the Sanford, Florida gated community as citizens call for Zimmerman's arrest.

It comes after the Justice Department yesterday announced it would probe the incident as a possible hate crime.

'The department will conduct a thorough and independent review of all the evidence and take appropriate action at the conclusion of the investigation,' the agency said.

Trayvon was returning to his father's fiancee's house last month after buying Skittles for his younger brother and an iced tea for himself at a nearby convenience store.

Zimmerman claimed the 17-year-old was acting 'suspicious' and he later shot him in self-defence during a confrontation in the Sanford, Florida, gated community.

In Zimmerman's 911 call he said Martin looked like he 'up to no good' and on drugs as the teen returned home with skittles for his brother before a fight broke out and Martin was shot.

As the Miami New Times reports, others have questioned if Zimmerman may have whispered 'f***ing tools' or 'f***ing punks' during the call.

Zimmerman's father, Robert, denied his son is racist in a letter released to the Orlando Sentinel. "George is a Spanish speaking minority with many black family members and friends,' he wrote. 'He would be the last to discriminate for any reason whatsoever.

One black neighbor recently interviewed said she knew everything in the media was untrue and that she would trust George with her life. Another black neighbor said that George was the only one, black or white, who came and welcomed her to the community, offering any assistance he could provide.

A grand jury will convene in central Florida next month to consider the case on April 10.

In a statement earlier today, Seminole County State Attorney Norm Wolfinger urged outraged community members to be patient as the investigation unfolds.

An online petition urging local authorities to prosecute Zimmerman has meanwhile drawn more than 700,000 signatures at website Change.org. Civil rights activist Al Sharpton is expected to join Sanford city leaders in an evening town hall meeting this evening to discuss with residents how the investigation is being handled.

Meanwhile, an attorney for Trayvon’s family said today that the teen was talking to his girlfriend on his cell phone when the confrontation began.

Attorney Benjamin Crump said today that Martin told the girl that Zimmerman was following him. She heard the beginning of the altercation but not the shooting.

The girlfriend said Trayvon told her someone was following him and that he was going to try to lose him. He thought he had lost Zimmerman but hadn't. 'He says, "Oh he's right behind me, he's right behind me again," Crump said the girl told him. 'She says run. He says I'm not going to run I'm just going to walk fast.

'She hears Trayvon say, "Why are you following me?" Other voice says, "What are you doing around here?"' She told Mr Crump they both repeated themselves and then she heard a scuffle begin 'because [Trayvon's] voice changes like something interrupted his speech'. She heard a scuffle and the phone call was cut off.

Within moments, according to Mr Crump's timeline, Martin was shot. She didn't hear the gunfire.

Mr Crump is not releasing the girl's name to protect her privacy. He said he plans to turn over information about the call to federal investigators who are looking into the case. The Justice Department announced their involvement late Monday.

Amid rallies yesterday on the campus of Florida A&M University in Tallahassee and outside the Seminole County Criminal Justice Center calling for Zimmerman's arrest, the boy's anguished mother claimed the attack was racially motivated.

Zimmerman shot Trayvon once in the chest on the night of February 26 after the teenager bought iced tea and Skittles at a nearby 7-Eleven. The 28-year-old was patrolling his neighborhood on a rainy night and called 911 to report a suspicious person. Against the advice of the emergency dispatcher, Zimmerman followed Trayvon. It was a blatant violation of neighbourhood watch guidelines, which emphasis that volunteers 'do not possess police powers'.

Ms Fulton believes the attack on her son was unprovoked. ‘I just don’t understand why this situation got out of control,’ she said.

Police have described Zimmerman as white - his family said he is Hispanic - and not racist.

Mr Crump said the Stand Your Ground law - which allows Florida residents to shoot someone in self-defence - does not apply to Zimmerman. ‘You can’t chase someone and call it self-defence,’ he told NBC’s Matt Lauer.

Zimmerman's national neighborhood watch manual, obtained by ABC, states: 'It should be emphasized to members that they do not possess police powers, and they shall not carry weapons or pursue vehicles. 'They should also be cautioned to alert police or deputies when encountering strange activity. Members should never confront suspicious persons who could be armed and dangerous.'

Trayvon's parents and other advocates said the shooter would have been arrested had he been black. 'You would think that Sanford is still in the 1800s claiming that this man can call self-defense for shooting an unarmed boy,' said restaurant owner Linda Tillman, who also was at the Sanford rally.

According to the Miami Herald, Zimmerman volunteered as chief watchman at the Retreat of Twin Lakes Townhomes after its homeowners association decided to jump-start the program following a spate of burglaries.

Licensed to carry a concealed firearm and a student of criminal justice, neighbours told the newspaper that Zimmerman took nightly patrols while walking his dog and was passionate about his duty.

From January 1, 2011 to February 26, 2012, Zimmerman reportedly phoned authorities 46 times - to 'report disturbances, break-ins, windows left open and other incidents'.

Cynthia Wibker, secretary of the homeowners' association, credited Zimmerman with solving crime in the area. 'He once caught a thief and an arrest was made,' she said.

Sanford police officials, who have not charged Zimmerman after accepting his claim that his actions were in self-defense, released eight 911 calls last Friday after mounting pressure.

'This guy looks like he is up to no good. He is on drugs or something,' Zimmerman told the dispatcher from his SUV. He added that the black teen had his hand in his waistband and was walking around staring at homes. 'These a*******. They always get away,' Zimmerman said.

During Zimmerman's initial call, he told the dispatcher he was following Martin and the dispatcher told him: 'You don't need to do that.'

Moments after Zimmerman's initial call, dispatchers were bombarded by seven 911 calls from frantic neighbors describing a fight between two men, screaming and then a gunshot.

A male caller described a physical altercation between Martin and the shooter. 'I just heard a shot right behind my house,' The caller said. 'They're wrestling right behind my porch. The guy is yelling 'Help.' I'm not going outside.'

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