The father of George Zimmerman, the man accused of shooting and killing and unarmed black teen, says the teen threatened to kill Zimmerman and beat him so badly that it forced Zimmerman to shoot Trayvon Martin. Trayvon Martin said something to the effect of you 're going to die now or you 're going to die tonight, something to that effect, Robert Zimmerman told Orlando news station WOFL. He continued to beat George. At some point, George pulled his pistol. Did what he did. In the interview Robert Zimmerman, his face obscured because he says he fears for his safety, vehemently defended the shooting that has caused outrage throughout the nation, moved President Obama to call it a tragedy and prompted a federal investigation. Robert Zimmerman told the news station that Martin confronted his son first and pummeled his son continually. He was punched in the nose. His nose was broken, Robert Zimmerman said. He was knocked to the concrete. Trayvon Martin got on top of him and just started beating him. In the face. In his nose, hitting his head on the concrete. Robert Zimmerman was not there the night of the shooting and did not say during the interview how he knew the details of the altercation. The elder Zimmerman's account was disputed by Martin's family attorney and several other legal experts. A surveillance video taken the night of the incident at police headquarters shows