Zimmerman had gun in glove box when pulled over in Texas

Zimmerman had gun in glove box when pulled over in Texas

A dash cam records as a Texas officer lets George Zimmerman go with a warning after he was pulled over for speeding.

By Jeff Black, Staff Writer, NBC News

George Zimmerman was pulled over in Texas this weekend for speeding – and had a gun with him, police said.
Zimmerman, who was acquitted July 13 of second-degree murder and manslaughter in the Florida shooting death of unarmed teen Trayvon Martin, was driving through Forney, Texas, when he was stopped for speeding in a gray 2008 Honda SUV, according to a police incident report obtained by NBC News.
After he was pulled over, Zimmerman told the officer he had a weapon in his glove compartment, according to police dashboard camera video.
Asked where he was going, Zimmerman told the officer “nowhere in particular.”
"Nowhere in particular, why is that?" the officer responded in the video.
"You didn't see my name?" Zimmerman asked.
"Wow, what a coincidence," said the officer.
The officer said he would not collect the firearm.
Police said Zimmerman, who was alone in the car, was sent on his way with a verbal warning to slow down after a search determined he had no warrants to hold him.

Forney, Texas, police

A still from a police dashcam video shows a traffic stop involving George Zimmerman on July 28 in Forney, Texas.

According to police, the stop lasted five minutes.
On Wednesday, the office of Mark O’Mara, Zimmerman’s attorney, tweeted an apparent response to inquiries about the traffic stop from @GZlegalCase.
“For his safety, we won't make any comments about #Zimmerman's whereabouts, and we will work to protect his privacy.”
Texas state law allows a person to carry a gun in a vehicle as long as it is not in plain view. Brian Brooks, city manager of Forney, told Reuters that it is routine for police to ask drivers if a gun is in the car.

"It's a pretty routine stop except for the fact that it was George Zimmerman," Brooks said.
Legal experts have said Zimmerman, since he has no felony convictions, is free to own a weapon.
The Keltec 9mm handgun used to kill Martin on Feb. 26, 2012, could even be returned to him, according to a spokesman for his attorney.
But that gun, and other evidence from the trial remain on hold at the request of the U.S. Justice Department, which has acknowledged it is investigating potential civil rights charges against the 29-year-old former block watch volunteer.
George Zimmerman has sued NBC Universal for defamation. The company strongly denies the allegation.