Crime

Zimmerman claims to have sold Trayvon Martin gun for $100K

Jessica Hartogs, Special to CNBC.com
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Zimmerman claims he sold gun for $100K
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Zimmerman claims he sold gun for $100K

George Zimmerman is believed to have sold the gun he used to kill Trayvon Martin for $100,000 at auction.

Martin, an unarmed, 17-year-old black teenager, was shot and killed by Zimmerman during an alleged altercation in Sanford, Fl., in 2012. The case sparked outrage when Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, claimed that Martin was acting suspiciously and called police from his car to report him. However, before they arrived, Martin was shot and killed by Zimmerman, who claimed he was acting in self-defense after Martin attacked him- an allegation that was never able to be confirmed.

Last week, Zimmerman listed the weapon, which he described as "a piece of American history," on an online auction site called UnitedGunGroup.com. The site tweeted a statement earlier this week saying, "George Zimmerman has confirmed that an offer of $100,000 with verified funds has been submitted."


George Zimmerman sits in court during his trial in Sanford, Fla., July 10, 2013. Zimmerman has been charged with second-degree murder for the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin.
Zimmerman re-lists Trayvon Martin gun at auction after first post removed

CNBC has been unable to independently confirm the sale or the price.

He previously listed the weapon, a Kel-Tec PF-9 9mm, on another auction site, GunBroker.com, at a starting price of $5,000, before the site removed the listing, stating, "We want no part in the listing on our web site or in any of the publicity it is receiving."

The gun had received bids of up to $65 million by bidders who claimed their names were "Donald Trump" and "Racist McShootface," before the listing was taken down.

Zimmerman was at first not charged in Martin's death, but after nationwide protests, he was tried for second-degree murder and found not guilty. The verdict kicked off the "Black Lives Matter," movement, where Americans across the country protested against what they believed to be unjust killings of young, black men, by figures of authorities.


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