Is it the truth?
Zimmerman instigated the situation.
In the end... Martin feared for his life too and was acting in self defense. Zimmerman acted in self defense.
It was so preventable. Nice to see folks smearing Martin as a "thug". He's dead. Can't defend his reputation.
Was Zimmerman wrong to assume a 17 year old was actually a criminal? Yes.
Did that justify Martin jumping him and beating the crap out of him? No.
You are right, it was preventable. Zimmerman could have stayed in his car, and Martin could have gone to his father's house. Both of them were wrong, and Martin will never learn from his mistake.
You left out what occurred between statement one and statement two.
Zimmerman essentially stalked Martin. A 17 yr old black youth being stalked by an unknown adult white man in a racially uneasy area.
Should he have jumped Zimmerman? No.
Was he afraid for his life? Quite possibly.
He made a bad decision in how to defend himself. Apparently.
Should he be blamed for that? No.
But he is. He is labeled a "thug".