Video footage of the fatal shooting of a young man in Brunswick, Georgia has drawn outrage and has led to the escalation of the investigation of the shooting.
Ahmaud Arbery was killed on Feb. 23 by two white men who pursued him under the auspices of a “citizens arrest.”
READ MORE: #JoggingWhileBlack: Grand jury weighs charges on Ahmaud Arbery’s death
The video was posted on YouTube page run by WGIG-FM on Tuesday morning and appears to come from a dashboard camera. According to a report in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the station news director, Michael Scott Ryan received it from an anonymous source. Ryan said that he decided to share the clip after consulting with leaders of Brunswick’s Black community.
In the video, Arbery is seen jogging down the middle of the street in Satilla Shores, a mostly white subdivision when he is cut off by Gregory McMichael and his son, Travis.
The video shows Arbery colliding with Travis McMichael, and within seconds a shot is heard. In the truck bed, the elder McMichael has a .357 Magnum pointed at Arbery as the man attempts to defend himself. Two more shots are fired, it is unclear which of the men fired them.
The release of the video prompted a response from Georgia governor, Brian Kemp, who hadn’t previously commented. On Twitter, Kemp said that “Georgians deserve answers. State law enforcement stands ready to ensure justice is served.”
.@GBI_GA Director Reynolds has offered resources & manpower to D.A. Durden to ensure a thorough, independent investigation into the death of #AhmaudArbery. Georgians deserve answers. State law enforcement stands ready to ensure justice is served. https://t.co/ktLiPf7LoY
— Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) May 6, 2020
Activist Shaun King retweeted the video while prefacing it saying, “I am sorry, from the bottom of my heart for what I am about to share.”
theGrio will not be posting the video due to the violent depiction of Arbery’s death.
The release of the video garnered fiery responses on Twitter. One man stated that the video made him nauseous.
The Glynn County police, where the shooting took place, asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to investigate how the video was released to the public as well as allegations of threats against their department. The did not request a review of their investigation of Arbery’s murder.
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr tweeted, “Based on the video footage and news reports I have seen, I am deeply concerned with the events surrounding the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery.”
My full statement on the investigation into the death of #AhmaudArbery. pic.twitter.com/UOaCsSkNPz
— GA AG Chris Carr (@Georgia_AG) May 6, 2020
READ MORE: Mother of Ahmaud Arbery says shooting was an ‘act of racial violence’
AG Carr also committed to move swiftly, stating that he would also be standing in support of GBI Director Vic Reynolds, DA Tom Durden, and the local community as they justice for Arbery.