George Zimmerman auctioning off 'iconic' gun used in Trayvon Martin shooting

George Zimmerman.
(Image credit: Pool/Getty Images)

Some things are unquestionably iconic pieces of American history — the Emancipation Proclamation, the Liberty Bell, the Edison light bulb, just to name a few.

George Zimmerman, the Florida neighborhood watch coordinator who shot and killed unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin in 2012, is now trying to redefine what it means for something to be an important part of the fabric of the nation — he is selling the gun used in the shooting, and advertising it as "your opportunity to own a piece of American history" and "an American firearm icon." Zimmerman was acquitted two years ago, and he says the Department of Justice just gave him back his weapon. The gun is up for auction on GunBroker.com, The Guardian reports, and is described by Zimmerman as "the firearm that was used to defend my life and end the brutal attack from Trayvon Martin."

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.