The death of a black jogger gunned down by a father and son is being investigated as a federal hate crime, a lawyer for the victim’s family said.
Lee Merrit, an attorney for Ahmaud Arbery’s family, said that the US Department of Justice is investigating the shooting as a hate crime on Monday.
Arbery was shot to death on February 23 as he jogged through a neighborhood in Brunswick, Georgia, and his death sparked outrage across the country amid claims that the shooting was racially motivated.
He was gunned down by Gregory McMicheal and his 34-year-old son Travis, who have both been arrested and charged with murder and aggravated assault.
Video of the shooting was captured by Roddie Bryan, 50, and shows the final moments of Arbery’s life as he is confronted by the McMicheals. Bryan was arrested on Thursday and charged with felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment in the case of Arbery’s death, although he has since come out to say he had ‘nothing to do’ with the killing.
‘I had nothing to do with it. I’m trying to get my life back to normal, and it’s been smeared for the last week. I was told I was a witness and I’m not sure what I am, other than receiving a bunch of threats,’ he told WJAX.
Gregory McMichael told police first saw Arbery ‘hauling ass’ down Santilla Drive before the shooting and thought he had been a burglar who had reportedly been in the area. McMichael said grabbed a .357 magnum and his son armed himself with a shotgun before hopping into their truck to chase Arbery. Bryan reportedly got in his vehicle and began following the McMichael’s when they passed his house, according to The New York Times.
‘McMichael stated the unidentified male began to violently attack Travis and the two men then started fighting over the shotgun at which point Travis fired a shot and a second later there was a second shot,’ police wrote.
A Department of Justice spokesperson confirmed earlier this month that the Civil Rights Division of the DOJ was looking at the case, but a spokesman for US Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia Bobby Christine declined to comment on the development.
Merritt said he learned that the case was being investigated after he spoke with Christine.
‘Our office does not discuss active investigations, including our addressing whether those investigation are or are not taking place.’
