Update: White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany addressed the situation during her press briefing on Friday afternoon. McEnany promised that the Trump Administration will follow the facts:
My Q: What’s the possibility of the federal govt & DOJ getting involved in the Ahmad Arbery case given that Georgia has no hate crime laws if racially profiling is proven?
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) May 8, 2020
Kayleigh McEnany: My heart breaks for the family. The federal govt & Pres Trump will follow the facts.
Original Post: Two Georgia men, Gregory and Travis McMichael, were arrested for the aggravated assault and murder of Ahmaud Arbery, 25, after the pair shot Arbery without reason, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).
?? BREAKING: Gregory and Travis McMichael have been arrested for death of #AhmaudArbery.
— Blayne Alexander (@ReporterBlayne) May 8, 2020
Both charged with murder and aggravated assault.
Full GBI release below: pic.twitter.com/zpPmW0koy0
Gregory & Travis McMichael have been arrested for the murder of Ahmaud Arbery. There will be a press conference tomorrow morning at 9 AM in Brunswick, GA (1 Conservation Way). https://t.co/jBhe4eIpeW pic.twitter.com/PEsOdnyXdR
— GA Bureau of Invest (@GBI_GA) May 8, 2020
MORE: The Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced the arrests of Gregory McMichael and Travis McMichael in a press release.
— ABC News (@ABC) May 8, 2020
"The McMichaels were taken into custody and will be booked into the Glynn County Jail." https://t.co/gYmqtO57Yg pic.twitter.com/H2k6h5oohf
Statement from Director Vic Reynolds on the GBI’s investigation of Ahmaud Arbery’s death: pic.twitter.com/PCDlUV0vjU
— GA Bureau of Invest (@GBI_GA) May 6, 2020
Horrifying video from the incident shows Arbery, a black man, jogging through a Georgia neighborhood back in February. The McMichaels, along with a third white man, are shown pulling their loaded guns and charging toward Arbery, without a visible prompt. Arbery is shown confronting one of the men, after they demanded that he stop running, followed by a gunshot. The video then shows Arbery physically fighting with one of the men, which leads to more gunshots. Finally, Arbery is on the ground.
Gregory McMichael, claiming he was attempting a citizen arrest, said that he identified Arbery as a burglar who had been targeting homes in the surrounding neighborhood. Even if this were to be the case, the McMichaels had no reason to pull out their firearms and eventually fatally shoot Arbery. From what the video shows, there was no immediate danger, and the shots were not fired on accident.
Ahmaud Arbery’s father: “I just want justice for my son and I just want them to pay the price for the crime they did.”
— CNN (@CNN) May 8, 2020
Two men involved in the fatal shooting of Arbery in Georgia have been arrested and face murder and aggravated assault charges. https://t.co/VDhcZ1Ezud pic.twitter.com/8FmEz5pUeQ
Georgia lawmakers sounded off on the incident and applauded the GBI's efforts to deliver justice for Arbery:
I applaud @GBI_GA Director Vic Reynolds and his agents for their swift action. Justice will be served. https://t.co/Jlej4JICjD
— Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) May 8, 2020
I commend the GBI for their swift and decisive action. Justice will be served. https://t.co/ZbApZ9KadB
— Kelly Loeffler (@KLoeffler) May 8, 2020
What I saw on the video is disturbing and wrong and looks like a criminal act. It must be thoroughly investigated and I can't imagine why it has taken this long to come to light. https://t.co/uFC3bhzJ8m
— Doug Collins (@CollinsforGA) May 7, 2020
The reasoning for such a delay in prosecution for the February 23 incident remains to be seen, but the Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced on Wednesday that it will launch an investigation.