In case you never spotted a character flaw in George Zimmerman, this should cure you: The former Florida neighborhood watch volunteer who killed unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin in Sanford is trying to auction off online the gun he used to do it.
The first auction site he tried, GunBroker.com, took the listing down Thursday minutes after the anticipated 11 a.m. auction start, posting this statement: "Our site rules state that we reserve the right to reject listings at our sole discretion, and have done so with the Zimmerman listing. We want no part in the listing on our web site or in any of the publicity it is receiving."
Zimmerman, now 32, told CNN he moved the auction to another website, giving a different reason than GunBroker.
"Unfortunately, (the site) was not prepared for the traffic and publicity surrounding the auction of my firearm," Zimmerman said in a text. "It has now been placed with another auction house."
Three years ago, Zimmerman was acquitted in the 2012 fatal shooting of Martin, an unarmed African-American teen, after he claimed self-defense. The acquittal sparked nationwide debate and protests in a case that was racially charged from the start.
Critics of the verdict have described Zimmerman as an overzealous wannabe police officer who racially profiled Martin and deliberately shot him down.
Zimmerman is now trying to sell the gun through United Gun Group, an online marketplace for firearms. The new website listed the weapon at a starting bid of $5,000, the same as on the previous site.
Zimmerman boasted about it in the website post. "I am honored and humbled to announce the sale of an American firearm icon," the post said. "The firearm for sale is the firearm that was used to defend my life and end the brutal attack from Trayvon Martin on 2/26/2012."
The site described the gun as a "piece of American history." CNN said the post and the site were inaccessible late Thursday afternoon when network tried to view them.
Zimmerman's decision to auction the weapon "and move past it" came to light Wednesday, when he was interviewed on WOFL-TV in Orlando.
"I recently received it back from the Department of Justice," he said. "They took it after my trial, after I was exonerated."
Zimmerman told the station he's had death threats since he put the gun up for sale.
"What I've decided to do is not cower," he said. "I'm a free American. I can do what I want with my possessions."
Proceeds from the gun's sale were supposed to be used to "fight [Black Lives Matter] violence against law enforcement officers," according to the original post that later disappeared.
Martin's parents both declined to address Zimmerman's actions in statements made through representatives.
Martin's mother, Sybrina Fulton, said through an attorney that she would rather focus on her work with the Trayvon Martin Foundation than respond to "Zimmerman's actions."
After rejecting the Zimmerman weapon, GunBroker issued this full statement:
"Late last night, George Zimmerman created a listing on our web site for the gun from the Trayvon Martin case four years ago. Mr. Zimmerman alerted news organizations that began reporting on the listing first thing this morning. Listings ... are user-generated, exactly like social media posts. Mr. Zimmerman never contacted anyone at GunBroker prior to or after the listing was created and no one ... has any relationship with Zimmerman.
"Our site rules state that we reserve the right to reject listings at our sole discretion, and have done so with the Zimmerman listing. We want no part in the listing on our web site or in any of the publicity it is receiving. GunBroker prides itself in being a safe and legal way to buy and sell firearms online in full compliance with all Federal, State, and local laws. GunBroker proudly supports the Second Amendment rights of the American public. GunBroker will not be fielding press inquiries regarding this matter."
