The man who filmed the death of Ahmaud Arbery has been charged with murder, the Georgia Bureau of Investigations announced on Thursday.
William “Roddie” Bryan Jr., whose viral video of Arbery’s death shocked the nation, is now the third person to face murder charges and await trial for Arbery’s death. Bryan also faces charges of criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment.
Officials from the Georgia Bureau of Investigations will answer questions about the case at a 9 a.m. ET Friday news conference.
Two weeks ago, Gregory and Travis McMichael were arrested in connection with Arbery’s death following video of Arbery’s death being spread on social media.
According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Arbery was in the Satilla Shores neighborhood in Brunswick, GA when both Gregory and Travis McMichael confronted Arbery with two firearms on February 23. During the encounter, Travis McMichael shot and killed Arbery, prosecutors said.
Bryan filmed the encounter, but it took nearly 10 weeks for the video to be made public.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigations said that an investigation was launched as Bryan's of Arbery's death video spread online.
Arbery’s death prompted a social media hashtag #JusticeForAhmaud. Arbery’s death prompted discussions nationally on the role racial bias plays in the criminal justice system.
“It is clear that law enforcement authorities must immediately arrest the McMichaels for this crime,” the NAACP said on May 6 in a joint statement. “The failure to hold these two individuals accountable for the killing of Mr. Arbery would mean that white citizens may hunt down an unarmed, non-violent Black man in broad daylight and kill him with impunity. Nothing in Georgia law licenses this conduct. The McMichaels must stand trial for this killing.”
