Originally Posted by signupdamnit

It was potentially life threatening. Trayvon could have took his gun and shot him. Even without a gun involved Trayvon might have beat him to death. It was night after all and he didn't know Trayvon. He thought he was high on drugs and a criminal.

OTOH Zimmerman knew that neighbors witnessed it and he knew one said they were calling the cops. The cops arrived within a couple minutes of the gunshot.

Zimmerman's injuries weren't life threatening and he declined to go to the ER that night. He also knew Trayvon was probably underage or near it because earlier he told 911 that he appeared to be in his "late teens".

It's easy to see both sides. I think many of us would have avoided using lethal force knowing that there were witnesses and that police were on their way. Some of us would have. I can't be extremely judgmental either way.