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George Zimmerman Puts Gun Used To Kill Trayvon Martin On Auction, Says 9mm Pistol Is Part Of American History

By Val Powell
Published on: 21:30 PST, May 11, 2016

George Zimmerman, who was charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter for the death of Trayvon Martin in 2012, is now auctioning the gun he used in the fatal shooting.

In an interview with a Fox reporter, Zimmerman confirmed that the gun, a Kel-Tec PF-9 9mm pistol, is currently being auctioned at GunBroker.com. Its starting bid is $5,000.

According to him, the gun can be considered a part of American history, hence the steep price tag.

In another interview, this time with Orlando’s WOFL television, the acquitted murder suspect said that he has every right to sell the things he possesses. He went on to give his reason for auctioning the weapon.

“I’m a free American. I can do what I like with my possessions… It’s time to move past the firearm, and if I sell it and it sells, and I move past it.”

The auction describes the pistol as fully functional because his “phenomenal Defense Attorney” prevented the Justice Department from rendering the firearm inoperable.

However, what stands out to readers is the different ways George Zimmerman plans to make use of the proceeds from the gun sale.

First, he expressed his intention to use a portion of the proceeds to fight Black Lives Matter (BLM) and “violence against law enforcement officers.”

George Zimmerman added that he wants to use the funds to end the persecution career of Florida Prosecutor Angela Corey. Finally, he stated that he wants to use the money to fight Hillary Clinton’s “rhetoric” against firearms.

Given the perceived value of the “historic” gun, the Smithsonian has allegedly shown interest in acquiring it. This information was revealed by George Zimmerman himself in the item posting.

“The pistol currently has the case number written on it in silver permanent marker. Many have expressed interest in owning and displaying the firearm, including The Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C.,” George Zimmerman further wrote in the listing.

He added that he does not care what other people think of the auction because they probably would not bid. However, he remains confident that there are many people who will want to own the firearm.

George Zimmerman also said that there were already others who had shown their interest in purchasing the gun. However, he claimed that they were going to use it for fashion, and that is something he is not comfortable with.

In February 2012, George Zimmerman was charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter after he shot Trayvon Martin. The teenager eventually succumbed to the gunshot wound in Sanford, Florida. Zimmerman was a member of neighborhood watch for Twin Lakes when the shooting incident happened.

According to reports, an altercation took place between George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin, which led the former to pull the trigger. He was taken into custody and questioned by the police.

Zimmerman claimed that he acted in self-defense and was released from custody as there was not enough evidence to refute his claim. In addition, Florida also has a Stand Your Ground statute, which permits an individual to defend their own life and limb against threat or perceived threat, using any level of force.

The incident caused uproar, especially among African Americans across the country, leading to the creation of Black Lives Matter. The group aims to point out the inequalities and discrimination that people of color experience at the hands of the authorities.

In June of 2013, Governor Rick Scott appointed a special attorney to put George Zimmerman on trial. However, after three years of investigation by the Department of Justice, they found no evidence that he had intentionally violated the rights of Trayvon Martin, thus resulting in his acquittal.

George Zimmerman’s move to put the gun on auction once again opened wounds among Trayvon Martin’s family and human rights advocates.

[Photo by Pool / Getty Images]

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