George Zimmerman. (Photo: ABC News)
George Zimmerman—the man who in 2012 shot and killed a 17-year-old named Trayvon Martin and ignited a national controversy over “stand your ground” laws—says he plans to auction the Kel-Tec PF9 he used in the self-defense altercation.
“I am honored and humbled to announce the sale of an American Firearm Icon,” he says in the online listing. “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.”
According to CBS Miami, Zimmerman said he “doesn’t care what they think” when asked about people who feel the sale of the gun is in bad taste.
“What I’ve decided to do is not cower,” he told Fox35 Orlando. “I’m a free American. I can do what I want with my possessions.”
According to the listing, the proceeds of the auction will “fight BLM [Black Lives Matter] violence against Law Enforcement officers, ensure the demise of Angela Correy’s persecution career and Hillary Clinton’s anti-firearm rhetoric.”
Zimmerman fails to expound upon how he plans to use the money for each purpose, but he believes he has reason to go after all three groups and individuals.
According to the auction listing, Zimmerman believes that Matthew Apperson—the man who shot at Zimmerman during a traffic altercation on May 12, 2016—is a “BLM sympathizer” and, presumably, intentionally targeted Zimmerman for his role in Martin’s death.
Angela Corey was the special prosecutor who was appointed by Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) to investigate the death of Trayvon Martin.
Hillary Clinton weighed in on this issue long before Zimmerman announced the auction. “The man who killed Trayvon Martin should have never had a gun in the first place,” Clinton said during a speech at Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, not deigning to mention Zimmerman by name.
SEE ALSO: Four High-Profile Gun Owners I’m Disowning
As the Daily Caller points out, it isn’t clear why Clinton believes Zimmerman should not have had a gun. He had no felony convictions or a history of mental health. Neither would any of Clinton’s proposed “gun control” measures have kept Zimmerman from owning or carrying a firearm in his neighborhood.
She also fails to mention that Zimmerman was acquitted by a six-person jury, which found that Martin was on top of Zimmerman and assaulting him when he was shot.
Trayvon Martin’s family declined to comment on Zimmerman, but their attorney provided a statement to Fox35 Orlando: “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 auction is set to begin at 11:00 AM EST on Thursday, May 12. The starting bid is $5000.
UPDATE 11:49 AM EST: The auction site has apparently taken down the listing for Zimmerman’s gun:
UPDATE 8:26 PM EST: Zimmerman has relisted the gun for sale on a different auction website.