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George Zimmerman Allegedly Got Decked for Bragging About Trayvon Martin

According to Zimmerman, the whole thing started when he complimented someone's Confederate flag tattoo.
​ Photo via Gary W. Green-Pool/Getty

George Zimmerman, the man who killed 18-year-old Trayvon Martin in 2013 and ignited a civil rights movement, says he was punched Thursday at a Sanford, Florida, restaurant. According to a police report obtained by theOrlando Sentinel, a man decked Zimmerman in the face after the 32-year-old bragged about shooting Martin.

The way Zimmerman tells it, he was ordering food with friends when he noticed and complimented fellow patron Joseph Whitmer on his Confederate flag tattoo. After Whitmer recognized him, Zimmerman says he pulled out his license to prove he was "that guy."

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That's when, according to Zimmerman, an incredulous man walked up and eventually demanded Zimmerman leave the restaurant. When Zimmerman didn't, the man—who was only identified as Eddie in the report—broke Zimmerman's glasses.

"This man just punched me in the face," Zimmerman told a dispatcher, according to the Sentinel. "He said he was going to kill me. You need to send three or four cops."

Two witnesses confirmed that Eddie decked Zimmerman because he was bragging about killing Martin.

The owner of the restaurant, Ed Winters, told a different story. He said that the whole thing was "blown out of proportion" and that no actual punches were thrown. Regardless of what happened, this wouldn't be the first time that Zimmerman has been targeted—someone shot at his car in May 2015.

"Everywhere this guy goes, he causes controversy," Winters told the Sentinel. "You'd think he'd keep a low profile."

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