Add jogging while Black to the growing list of things Black Americans can’t do without the fear of being gunned down for no reason.
Recently,
the internet reacted to a two-month-old video that showed the brutal killing of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery at the hands of two white men in Brunswick, Georgia. In the clip (which we will not be sharing), Arbery can be seen jogging in a neighborhood outside Brunswick on February 23 and subsequently chased down by a former police officer, of course, and his son authorities stated.
According to the Glynn County Police report, Gregory McMichael revealed to authorities the same old spiel that he thought Arbery looked like a man suspected of a series of recent break-ins that have taken place in the neighborhood. Hence, they took upon themselves to take action.
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In the highly disturbing video, McMichael and his son hunt down Arbery. A struggle then ensues between Arbery and McMichael’s son over the shotgun he is wielding. While Arbery is doing his best to defend himself by throwing punches, as 2 shots can be heard going off as they fight off-screen. McMichael is standing in the back of the pick-up truck also pulls out a weapon as well but doesn’t fire. When Arbery comes back on the screen, a third shot is heard, Arbery stumbles back and his fatal wounds near his left rib cage are visible, and he stumbles and falls.
The video has sparked a tremendous amount of outrage as the details surrounding it continue to come out. Mainly over the fact, the incident happened back in February and the fact one of the District Attorney’s who has have recused themselves from the case wrote that “Travis McMichael acted out of self-defense and their actions fell within Georgia’s citizen arrest laws.”
Reactions denouncing Arbery’s killing are pouring in. Democratic presidential nominee, Joe Biden has weighed in, Senator Kamala Harris and many more have sounded off.
The case will go to a grand jury in coastal Georgia, protesters have taken to the scene to the crime already. This is the next powder keg waiting to explode during a global pandemic no less. You can peep the reactions in the gallery below.
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Photo: change.org / other
