George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch captain acquitted of murder charges in the 2012 shooting death of teenager Trayvon Martin, said Wednesday he is auctioning off the gun used in the shooting.
(FOX)- “I recently received it back from the Department of Justice. They took it after my trial, after I was exonerated,” Zimmerman told Fox 35 Orlando.
Zimmerman told the station the he’s received numerous death threats while in hiding and has received much more after putting the 9mm pistol that was used to kill Marin on Feb. 26, 2012 up for auction.
“What I’ve decided to do is not cower,” he told Fox 35 Orlando. “I’m a free American. I can do what I want with my possessions.”
An attorney for Martin’s family declined to specifically comment on Zimmerman, but did issue a statement to Fox 35 Orlando Wednesday.
“The Trayvon Martin Foundation is committed to its mission of ending senseless gun violence in the United States. This election, season, we are laser focused on furthering that mission. As such, the foundation has no comment on the actions of that person.”
The station reported that the starting bid for Zimmerman’s weapon is set at $5,000. He is auctioning it through GunBroker.com, where the item description claims “a portion of the proceeds will be used to fight [Black Lives Matter] violence against Law Enforcement officers, ensure the demise of Angela Correy’s persecution career and Hillary Clinton’s anti-firearm rhetoric.”