Third time is a charm for George Zimmerman. After two failed attempts, the former neighborhood watchman apparently auctioned his gun for more than $120,ooo on Wednesday.
Zimmerman’s Kel-Tec PF-9 9mm pistol, the infamous firearm used to kill unarmed, 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, has been reportedly sold, according to TMZ and the Orlando Sentinel.
Also, during the earlier morning hours on May 18, UnitedGunGroup.com, the website hosting Zimmerman’s auction, posted to their Facebook page that “he [Zimmerman] currently is in the process of vetting several offers and verifying funds.”
In the statement, United Gun Group (UGG) said the site had hosted “two auctions running simultaneously, one for the pre-qualified bidders, one for the public.”
Details have yet to be released of the private auction, but TMZ reported that the winner was selected from among 7 bidders participating in that listing.
The public auction has been riddled by trolls, most notably “Racist McShootface,” who spiked the price to $65 million dollars before the user was banned.
One person used a computer program to instantly raise the price as soon as a bid was made, reported the Orland Sentinel. In a statement to the Sentinel, Zimmerman thanked the company for hosting his auction, saying it has “raised funds for several worthy causes.”
He added: “I would also like to thank all members of United Gun Group for their support and words of encouragement.”
In the UGG listing, Zimmerman labeled the Kel-Tec PF-9 9mm pistol an “American Firearm Icon” and “a piece of American History.”
Zimmerman was following Martin on a street at a gated neighborhood in Sanford, Florida, and then called police to describe him as suspicious.
Later, he and Martin got into an altercation that ended with Zimmerman shooting Martin.
Zimmerman was acquitted of second-degree murder, as well as manslaughter, in 2013.
The case became nationally known and sparked a number of rallies and protests. It was also one of the building blocks for the “Black Lives Matter” movement.
