Conflicting accounts emerge in Zimmerman incident

The day after a bullet sailed through George Zimmerman’s window and sprayed broken glass against his face, two dramatically different narratives have emerged about what exactly led to the confrontation.

According to CNN, Matthew Apperson, who has admitted to firing the shot into Zimmerman’s car, alleged that he did so only in self-defense.


Apperson stated that Zimmerman waved a gun after driving up beside him and yelling at him. He said that he fired the shot in self-defense and then yelled at a bystander, “I shot George Zimmerman, call 911! I don’t have a phone.”

Zimmerman’s attorney countered in an interview with the network that his client was not waving a gun and that Apperson had instigated the confrontation after flashing his headlights and honking at him. According to Don West, the attorney, Apperson pulled up beside Zimmerman, yelled obscenities at him, then followed Zimmerman and fired the shot.

The Associated Press reported Tuesday that police had found one handgun from Zimmerman’s possession and two handguns from Apperson’s.

The two had a history of conflict — including three disputes outlined by CNN.

Last fall, Apperson called 911 alleging that Zimmerman had threatened to shoot him. Then, two days after the first 911 call, Apperson again called police to say that he believed Zimmerman was outside his office. No charges were filed relating to the incident.

Apperson’s attorney told CNN there was “no ongoing relationship” between the two of them.

Zimmerman has had multiple run-ins with the law since first making headlines for shooting Trayvon Martin in February 2012. Though Zimmerman was charged with murder for his role in Martin’s death, he was acquitted in 2013.

He has been arrested multiple times since then, but has not had any other charges pressed against him.