George Zimmerman attempted to auction online the gun he used to kill Trayvon Martin Wednesday, and again Thursday once his first listing was rejected.
This incident is the latest attention-seeking publicity stunt from Zimmerman, who in 2010 was acquitted in the killing of an unarmed teenager, Trayvon Martin, on self-defense grounds.
On Thursday, online firearms auction site GunBroker revealed in a statement it would not faciliate Zimmerman's auction.
“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,” the statement reads.
Zimmerman cited a different reason than GunBroker for the change in plans.
“Unfortunately, (the site) was not prepared for the traffic and publicity surrounding the auction of my firearm,” said Zimmerman in a text message. “It has now been placed with another auction house.”
Zimmerman has since moved the auction to a differnet company and has started the bid at $5,000.
“I am honored and humbled to announce the sale of an American firearm icon,” read the gun’s posting. “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 post went on to describe the firearm as a “piece of American history.” It also says that museums around the country, including Washington, D.C.’s Smithsonian Institution, have “expressed interest in owning and displaying the firearm.”
The Smithsonian Institution swiftly shut that down releasing a statement in response: “We have never expressed interest in collecting George Zimmerman’s firearm, and have no plans to ever collect or display it in any museums.”
