George Zimmerman Auctioning Off Gun He Used To Kill Trayvon Martin
ORLANDO, Fla. (CBSNewYork) -- George Zimmerman is auctioning off the gun he used to kill Trayvon Martin.
The Kel-Tec PF-9 9mm gun will be auctioned off by GunBroker.com. The auction begins Thursday at 11 a.m. ET and the bidding starts at $5,000.
"Prospective bidders, I am honored and humbled to announce the sale of an American Firearm Icon. 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," Zimmerman wrote on the website.
Zimmerman was found not guilty of second-degree murder in the shooting death of the teenager in Sanford, Florida, in 2012. Zimmerman claimed he was defending himself when he shot Trayvon. The shooting and verdict touched off protests nationwide.
"Many have expressed interest in owning and displaying the firearm including The Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C.," Zimmerman wrote. "This is a piece of American History… Offers to purchase the Firearm have been received; however, the offers were to use the gun in a fashion I did not feel comfortable with."
Zimmerman said he will use the proceeds to "ensure the demise of [Florida State Attorney] Angela Correy's persecution career and Hillary Clinton's anti-firearm rhetoric."
Zimmerman told WOFL-TV that he has been receiving death threats after putting the gun up for auction.
"What I've decided to do is not cower," Zimmerman said. "I'm a free American. I can do what I want with my possessions."
The Trayvon Martin Foundation told WOFL that they won't comment on "that person" and said it's committed to ending senseless gun violence.
"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 foundation said.