Image copyright AP Image caption This is not the first attempt by Mr Zimmerman to sell the semi-automatic pistol used to kill the black teenager

The handgun used to kill unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin in 2012 has been sold in a private auction, according to the website that hosted the sale.

George Zimmerman, who was acquitted of Trayvon's murder, auctioned the gun, calling it an "American icon".

Auction host, UnitedGunGroup.com, did not disclose the sale price.

The sale of the gun has drawn criticism from those claiming Zimmerman was seeking to profit from Trayvon's death.

Gun rights advocates have applauded him for exercising his legal rights under current US law.

There were two separate auctions being hosted on UnitedGunGroup.com - one for prequalified bidders and one for the general public.

UnitedGunGroup.com said that the highest public bid of $138,900 (£95,219) by "John Smith" was not authentic.

"He was on the fake auction page, we had two auctions going at the same time," they said in a tweet.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption A mural in Baltimore pays tribute to the Florida teenager

Another gun auction website and two other prominent gun auctioneers had previously refused to sell the weapon.

Earlier attempts to sell the gun online were hacked and fake bids were placed, causing that auction to be cancelled without a sale.

Last week's highest bid of $65 million was posted by one "Racist McShootFace".

The killing of the black teenager by Mr Zimmerman, who was acquitted after arguing self-defence, helped launch the national Black Lives Matter social movement.