This weekend many people took the time to run 2.23 miles in remembrance of Ahmaud Arbery, while bringing awareness to the fatal death he experienced. Arbery, 25, was shot and killed while jogging in Brunswick, Georgia, on February 23. Video footage was released recently; For over two months, absolutely no one was arrested.
In the video you can see Arbery running down the street, as someone behind him in a car records. All of a sudden you see a 4 x 4 pickup truck parked in the middle of the street. As he runs, two men who appear to be angry with him running in their neighborhood stand there with their guns.
As they point their rifle and shotgun at Arbery, he approaches them quickly for self defense. He grabs the gun, wrestling with suspect, fighting for his life. As he fought for control of the gun, the other suspect shoots him twice. After the second shot we see the fatal footage of him fighting until collapsing on the ground. By the time paramedics arrived he was already dead.
There’s telephone clips going around the internet of a man calling 9-1-1 on Ahmaud with nothing to say in reference to what he did wrong when asked, “ what did he do wrong,” by the dispatcher. There’s no answer. The only thing that was said is that he was in the neighborhood running. “There he goes again,” the man calling in says. But no valid reason for his wrong doings.
AFTER TWO PLUS MONTHS, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrested and charged Gregory McMichael, 64, and his son, Travis McMichael, 34, for the murder and aggravated assault this week — days after the footage showing two men confronting and shooting Arbery surfaced. The McMichaels say they were acting in self-defense. It also out Gregory McMichaels was a former police officer whom recently retired last May. I’m sure that played a role in why he wasn’t arrested immediately.
It was said that the real reason they weren’t arrested is because by the time Arbery grabbed the gun that was being pointed at him, it became self defense.
Personally, stories like this literally make my insides burn. It bothers me that our black men are such targets. It bothers me that white people get to shoot their extremely invalid shots at our people and literally walk free every time. Most times the most that happens is a loss of job or slap on the wrist. IT BOTHERS ME, that when the media sources report, they neglect to emphasis the extent of the foolery taking place.
While reading stories on Ahmaud, it sounds like it’s being watered down. Ahmaud Arbery loved to run. A former high school football standout, he had been jogging near his home on the outskirts of Brunswick, GA. He did NOTHING wrong. And it’s important to know that NO ONE was arrested on spot.
Sure, they arrest is a small victory in this case. Yeah, it MIGHT be progress but if the justice system didn’t see an issue with this from the beginning what would make them change their mind now.
Let’s stay continue to bring awareness and find true solutions. It starts with having these conversations. What can we do? Drop your thoughts in the comments.
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