The Cobb County District Attorney's Office announced that a grand jury returned indictments against all three suspects in the murder of Ahmaud Arbery. Greg McMichael, 64, Travis McMichael, and William "Roddie" Bryan, 50, are facing nine charges each including malice murder, four counts of felony murder, and two felony counts of aggravated assault, one count of false imprisonment, and one count of criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment.
"This is another positive step, another great step, for finding justice for Ahmaud, for finding justice for this family and for the community beyond," Cobb County District Attorney Joyette M. Holmes said.
Arbery, who is black, was shot and killed while jogging through a predominantly white neighborhood in Georgia on February 23. Greg and Travis McMichael thought he was a robbery suspect and began chasing after him in their pickup truck. Bryan, who filmed the fatal encounter, is accused of using his vehicle to trap Arbery as he tried to flee from his armed assailants.
When the McMichaels caught up to Arbery, he got into a fight with Travis over a shotgun. The gun went off during the scuffle, and Arbery was killed.
Officers declined to press charges at the time, believing the McMichaels' claims of self-defense. On May 7, the cell phone video that Bryan recorded was leaked online, sparking national outrage. The McMichaels were arrested two days later, and Bryan was taken into custody the following week.
Photo: Glynn County Jail