The DOJ is refusing to allow the Sanford police department to return to Zimmerman his gun, citing a pending investigation:

ORLANDO SENTINEL – Following a request from the FBI, the Sanford Police Department reported Thursday that it has halted its plan to return George Zimmerman’s gun and other pieces of evidence used at his murder trial.

The move is a clear sign that the U.S. Department of Justice is moving ahead with its investigation into whether the former Neighborhood Watch volunteer violated the civil rights of Trayvon Martin, the unarmed black 17-year-old he shot in Sanford last year.

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The Seminole County Clerk of Courts released the evidence earlier this week to the police department.

Before returning individual items to their owners, however, department officials talked to one or more FBI agents in Orlando, according to Sanford police spokesman Capt. Jim McAuliffe.

On Thursday, the police department finalized its plan.

“The evidence is just in a hold status, pending their DOJ investigation,” McAuliffe said.

It is being stored in a secure area within the police department, he said.

The items include Zimmerman’s gun, Trayvon’s clothes, cell phone, the bag of Skittles and beverage found in his pockets – in short all the evidence collected by the agency as it investigated the Feb. 26, 2012, homicide.