This archive report was first published on 19 May 2020.
On February 23, 2020, 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery was shot and killed in Satilla Shores, Georgia, sparking a national debate over racial violence. The incident occurred just two months after Arbery's death, and local residents and lawmakers protested what they said was a deadly combination of racial profiling and flawed self-defense laws.
According to security camera footage and cellphone video, Arbery was jogging in the area when he stopped on the front lawn of a house being built across the street. He then wandered into the open construction site, where he was seen looking around by security footage.
Meanwhile, a neighbor had called 911, reporting that Arbery resembled a recent trespasser in the area. However, it was later revealed that the site's owner had never reported any stolen property or damage during the previous trespassing incidents.
Travis McMichael and his father, Gregory, grabbed their guns and pursued Arbery in a white truck. They were followed by their neighbor, Roddy Bryan, who was also filming the incident. The McMichaels tried to cut Arbery off, but he doubled back and passed them.
Gregory McMichael climbed from the cab to the bed of the truck, armed with a handgun, and the group followed Arbery onto Holmes Road. At 1:14 p.m., Arbery was seen running back down Holmes Road, away from Bryan and toward the McMichaels.
Gregory McMichael dialed 911 at this time, and the incident was captured on video. The footage shows Arbery being shot by Travis McMichael, who was standing by the driver's side of the truck, armed with a shotgun. Arbery was hit in the chest, and the two men wrestled over the gun before Travis fired a final shot, which hit Arbery in his left upper chest.
Police officers arrived within seconds of the shooting, and a minute or so later, they reported that a male was on the ground bleeding out. The McMichaels were initially let go, but now face serious charges.
