The murder of Ahmaud Arbery: here's what you need to know

11 May 2020 - 10:47 By Jessica Levitt
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Ahmaud Arbery was unarmed and jogging in a neighborhood in the US when he was chased by a father and son and shot dead.
Ahmaud Arbery was unarmed and jogging in a neighborhood in the US when he was chased by a father and son and shot dead.
Image: Gallo Images/iStockphoto

The murder of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, US, has created a global storm as more details around his death at the hands of two white men become known.

Here is what you need to know about the Arbery case.

The incident

Arbery, 25, was unarmed and jogging in a neighborhood just outside Brunswick, Georgia,in February. He was chased by father and son Gregory and Travis McMichael, who gunned him down.

Delayed justice

Despite admitting to the shooting in February, the father and son duo were not arrested nor charged with a crime until May.

The excuse

Gregory said Arbery resembled a suspect who was behind a string of house robberies in the area. Despite not having clear sight of Arbery in the dark, the pair opened fire.

Video footage

Graphic video footage taken by a man who had joined the father and son to chase Arbery was leaked.

The footage shows Arbery running and then confronted by a truck stopped in the middle of the road. Arbery tries to go around the truck, struggles briefly with one of the men, and gunshots are heard. He drops to his knees, fatally wounded.

National outrage

Allegations about the McMichaels having connections within law enforcement have been reported.

Politicians and celebrities have asked for justice to be swift in the case, with the new prosecutor insisting a grand jury investigation will take place. Arbery's death has been compared with those of Trayvon Martin and Botheam Jean, both of whom were shot while unarmed.

Remembering Arbery

On Friday, Americans ran in their neighbourhoods wearing white T-shirts. This was to mark what would have been Arbery's 26th birthday.

Global community speaks

On social media, millions have addressed racial profiling under the hashtag #blacklivesmatter, and discussed how to stop the killing of unarmed black people in the US.

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