The U.S. Justice Department announced federal hate crime charges against the Georgia men who shot “jogger” Ahmaud Arbery as he left a vacant house in their neighborhood.
Gregory McMichael told police Arbery attacked his son, Travis McMichael, before Travis shot and killed him on Feb. 23, 2020.
Arbery was killed after a witness spotted him leaving a vacant house that was under construction. Arbery’s family said he was out jogging.
According to the indictment, the McMichaels “armed themselves with firearms, got into a truck and chased Arbery through the public streets of the neighborhood while yelling at Arbery, using their truck to cut off his route and threatening him with firearms.”
A third man, William “Roddie” Bryan, followed 25-year-old Arbery in a pickup truck prior to the shooting. Bryan’s cell phone recording was placed in evidence against the father and son.
Bryan was arrested in May 2020 by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and charged with felony murder after he told investigators he tried to help the men stop Arbery.
In Georgia a person can be charged with felony murder if they contributed to another’s death.
All three men were indicted Wednesday on one count of interference with civil rights and attempted kidnapping. The McMichaels are also charged with using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
The three men have been jailed since their arrests. They are due back in court in May.
