The “Racist McShootface” bids were deleted Friday morning from the United Gun Group auction site, but the trolling prompted one apparently serious bidder to call the trolls “losers” and express hope that their “children get murdered”. The date is the day Martin died after he was fatally shot by Zimmerman in Sanford, Florida, while Zimmerman was volunteering for a neighborhood watch program. According to NPR, the post concluded, “I am proud to announce that a portion of the proceeds will be used to fight [Black Lives Matter] violence against Law Enforcement officers, ensure the demise of Angela [Corey’s] persecution career, and Hillary Clinton’s anti-firearm rhetoric”.
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In the auction listing, Zimmerman cited strong interest from collectors including “The Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC”.
The company released a statement defending its decision, apologizing to the Martin family for their loss but said it was their duty to uphold rights it said are awarded by the 2nd Amendment.
In the online listing, Zimmerman called the weapon an “American Firearm Icon”.
When asked what he thought of people who would be opposed to auctioning the gun, Mr Zimmerman said: “They’re not going to be bidding on it, so I couldn’t care less about them”.
In this June 28, 2013, file photo, Sanford police officer Timothy Smith holds up the gun that was used to kill Trayvon Martin, while testifying in the George Zimmerman trial, in Seminole circuit court in Sanford, Fla. But the website, GunBroker.com, said in a statement that it had rejected the user-generated listing created late on Wednesday and had no relationship with Zimmerman.
“Unless the law has been violated, it is the intention of United Gun Group to allow its members to use any of the available features”.
This didn’t deter Zimmerman – who was acquitted of wrongdoing in the teen’s death, in a case that inflamed racial tensions in the USA – from trying to cash in on the Kel-Tec PF-9 handgun. He told Fox 35 Orlando, “I’m a free American”.
That listing ended with “if you want peace, prepare for war” in Latin. And I can do what I like with my possessions’. Zimmerman reportedly approached GunBroker.com, who refused him outright, stating that they did not want to be a part of it and the “attendant publicity” that it will definitely bring. “We believe this gun should be destroyed, so no more lives can be lost”.
Tracy Martin, the boy’s father, issued a statement Thursday through his lawyer, Benjamin Crump, saying a foundation in his son’s name is focusing on ending senseless gun violence and “has no comment on the actions of that person that murdered Trayvon”.
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Zimmerman’s sale of the weapon is widely seen by the public as an effort to profit from the unfortunate death of Trayvon Martin in 2012.
