One of Zimmerman’s few supporters, Taaffe is a solid man of middle age who stands at about six feet tall. While imposing, Taaffe maintains a youthful air with a cleanly cropped goatee and buoyant spirit. In speaking to theGrio, Taaffe praised Zimmerman for his willingness to serve their besieged hamlet. This willingness seemed to overshadow the repercussions of Zimmerman’s reckless actions.
“He stepped up and said, ‘I’ve got this guys. I’ll take care of the community,’” Taaffe said of Zimmerman choosing to oversee security at the complex. “At that point, nobody gave him any argument, because it required daily patrols at night, on your own volition, taken out of your time. Heat, cold, rain, whatever the case is. George stepped up to the plate. And we as residents found that to be very admirable.”