In his first televised interview since being charged with the murder of Florida teen Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman said he believes the entire incident was “all God’s plan.”
Zimmerman sat down with Fox News’ Sean Hannity to give his side of the story about the night in February that ended in the shooting death of the 17-year-old Martin.
He claimed he was not “following” Martin, but instead “keeping on eye” on him so he could direct police to his location. According to Zimmerman, he fired his weapon in self-defense after Martin approached him with “confrontational” body language.
“He asked me what my problem was,” Zimmerman said. “I said I did not have a problem.”
Zimmerman claimed Martin broke his nose with a punch, bashed his head on the concrete sidewalk and tried to suffocate him. He told Hannity that during the scuffle, Martin said to him, “You are going to die tonight.”
Zimmerman denied that he acted out of racism. He stopped short of saying he regretted getting out of his car that night and said he wouldn’t do anything differently were he given the chance. Instead, he said he prays for Martin’s parents daily and wishes he hadn’t had to shoot their son.
“I feel it was all God’s plan,” Zimmerman said. “…. I do wish that there was something, anything I could have done that would have put me in the position that I wouldn’t have to take his life.”
Martin’s family members released a statement in response to the interview, saying they believe Zimmerman “does not regret anything he did that night.”
“We must worship a different God because there is no way that my God would have wanted G. Zimmerman to kill my teenage son,” Trayvon’s father Tracy Martin said.
