Man accused of shooting at George Zimmerman during road rage incident charged with attempted murder

Zimmerman
(Image credit: Gary W. Green-Pool/Getty Images)

Matthew Apperson, 36, has been charged with attempted murder for shooting at George Zimmerman in a road rage incident last month, CBS Miami reports.

In September 2014, Zimmerman and Apperson reportedly engaged in an initial incident in which Apperson made a U-turn and Zimmerman threatened to kill him, asking, "Do you know who I am?" Apperson did not pursue charges, although two days later he called the police to report that Zimmerman was parked near his work. Zimmerman claimed he had an appointment nearby and again, no charges were filed.

Then, in May, the report states Zimmerman was driving in a suburb of Orlando when Apperson got behind his truck and yelled, "Remember me?" Zimmerman responded by calling Apperson a clown and Apperson fired shots. Zimmerman suffered minor injuries from glass and debris.

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According to his arrest report, Apperson had recently been admitted to a mental institution and had shown signs of paranoia, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. Zimmerman was acquitted in the 2012 death of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager; he has since been charged with assault by two of his former girlfriends.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.