LeBron James is very angry about what recently happened in Brunswick, Georgia, this week after a video was released of a man being shot fatally shot while out jogging. The man, Ahmaud Arbery, was seen being shot by Gregory McMichael and his son Travis McMichael. Abery, 25, was black and the McMichaels are white, which has led to public outcry. James is one of the many public figures to express his anger for the shooting, saying it was racially motivated.
“We’re literally hunted EVERYDAY/EVERYTIME we step foot outside the comfort of our homes!” The Los Angeles Lakers star captioned an Instagram photo of Arbery. “Can’t even go for a damn jog man! Like WTF man are you kidding me?!?!?!?!?!? No man fr ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!! I’m sorry Ahmaud(Rest In Paradise) and my prayers and blessings sent to the heavens above to your family!!” James’ post has received over 2 million likes with commenters showing support for Arbery. The shooting happened on Feb. 23, and Georgia authorities said the case will get a full investigation, as Gregory and Travis McMichael were not arrested for the shooting.
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“Our goal in every investigation is to seek the truth,” Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Vic Reynolds told reporters Wednesday. “And that’s exactly what we intend on doing in this matter. I realize that emotions are running high in this community and they’re running high throughout the state, and the last thing anyone wants to do is extend us any patience. But I also realize that this investigation must be done correctly and therefore I must ask for a little of your patience.”
The reason the McMichaels were chasing down Arbery was because they thought he was a burglary suspect. In the video, Travis McMichael is seen shooting Arbery as both are fighting for the gun. Gregory McMichael, a former police detective and district attorney’s office investigator, said they armed themselves and chased Arbery in their truck saying they wanted to talk to him. Travis said he was attempting to carry out a citizen’s arrest under Georgia state law.
The case has been turned over to a grand jury to see if there’s enough evidence to go to trial. However, due to the coronavirus outbreak, the courts in Georgia are currently suspended. “Mr. Arbery had not committed any crime and there was no reason for these men to believe they had the right to stop him with weapons or to use deadly force in furtherance of their unlawful attempted stop,” lawyer Lee Merritt, who posted the video, wrote in a statement. “This is murder.”
