Let's Catch Up With GOP Hero Zimmerman

Remember all the full-throated cheers the right-wing, gun-sucking “Zimmerman Is a Hero!” crowd gave George Zimmerman after he stalked and killed young Trayvon Martin? Remember how hard they worked to smear an unarmed teenage boy as a thug?

I’d like to remind that crowd of Zimmerman’s subsequent lengthy history of violence, and I can only hope they choke on it.

It’s always been obvious to anyone with any sense that the end of Zimmerman's road will be prison, if he’s not shot dead in the streets before he gets there.

Here, courtesy of Talking Points Memo’s Ahiza Garcia, is a brief review of Zimmerman’s long, long history of violence since the night he stalked and killed a boy:

The First Domestic Violence Dispute

Zimmerman's estranged wife, Shellie Zimmerman, called 911 on Sept. 9, 2013, saying he had threatened her and her father with a gun, the Orlando Sentinel reported. On an audio recording of the 911 call, Shellie Zimmerman could be heard saying that her husband had "his hand on his gun and he keeps saying step closer." Shellie Zimmerman refused to press charges, and police said George Zimmerman had smashed an iPad that was believed to have contained video of the confrontation.

The Second Domestic Violence Dispute

Zimmerman was arrested on Nov. 18, 2013, after allegedly pointing a shotgun at his girlfriend, Samantha Scheibe, according to television station WESH. However, prosecutors later dropped charges against Zimmerman after Scheibe reportedly changed her story and refused to cooperate with authorities.

The CNN Interview

In an interview with CNN's Chris Cuomo on Feb. 17 of this year, Zimmerman said he was the "victim" in Martin's death. He refused to answer Cuomo's question about whether he regretted killing Martin, citing a civil rights investigation by the Department of Justice.

Signing Autographs At A Gun Show

Zimmerman "greeted people and autographed photos of him posing with his dog" at a gun show in Central Florida on March 8, 2014, according to TV station WESH. Organizers of the event reportedly had to change the location at least once because of public backlash.

The Neighborhood Watchman Returns

A police officer discovered Zimmerman sitting in his parked pickup truck on July 28, 2014 outside of a motorcycle and gun shop in DeLand, Fla., according to the Orlando Sentinel. The officer, Sgt. Chris Estes, questioned Zimmerman, who reportedly said he had permission from the store's owner to patrol the area but Estes was unable to verify this. The Daytona Beach News-Journal quoted the store's gun manager who denied that Zimmerman was an employee of the store. Additionally, the store released a statement saying that all reports saying Zimmerman was working as a "Security Guard or Night Watchman" were completely false.

The First Road Altercation

Police in Lake Mary, Fla. received a 911 call earlier this month from a man alleging Zimmerman threatened to kill him during a road rage incident, according to TV station WESH. The caller said Zimmerman started shouting expletives and death threats at him while stopped at a light. WESH reported that police advised the caller that it would be difficult to prove it was Zimmerman and charges were never pressed. However, the following day, the same man called police, saying Zimmerman had shown up at his work and he feared for his safety, according to TV station WSVN. Zimmerman reportedly admitted he had exchanged words with the man when he was confronted by police.

The Thrown Wine Bottle

 Zimmerman was arrested for aggravated assault with a weapon on Jan. 9, 2015 after he allegedly threw a wine bottle at his girlfriend, according to a police report. Officers located Zimmerman on Jan. 9 and arrested him, charging him with aggravated assault. Three days after his arrest, the woman, Brittany Brunelle, asked that all charges against Zimmerman be dropped, the Associated Press reported on Jan. 30.

The Second Road Altercation

On May 11, 2015, police in Lake Mary, Fla. said that Zimmerman had suffered an injury to his face after a shooting. The department said Zimmerman was struck in the face after his windshield shattered when a man, identified as Matthew Apperson, allegedly shot at him. Zimmerman was released from the hospital after being treated, according to police. Lake Mary police said neither Apperson nor Zimmerman had been arrested. While police wouldn't discuss the cause of the shooting, they said that Apperson was the man allegedly involved in an altercation with Zimmerman in September.