‘Very disturbing situation:’ President Trump addresses video showing death of Ahmaud Arbery
Speaking to Fox & Friends Friday morning, President Trump addressed the death of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery, calling the video that shows Arbery being chased down and shot three times "very disturbing."
“I looked at a picture of that young man,” Trump said. “He was in a tuxedo... I will say that that looks like a really good young guy. It’s a very disturbing situation, to me. My heart goes out to the parents, and the family, and the friends.”
Arbery's death occurred on Feb. 23, but two Brunswick men, Travis McMichael and his father Greg, were charged with murder and aggravated assault Thursday night after video of Arbery's shooting taken by a third man involved in the incident, William Bryan, surfaced and went viral. The video drew swift outrage regarding Arbery's death, and that no charges had been brought in the past two months. Arbery, who would have turned 26 Friday, was unarmed.
Trump expressed confidence in Georgia gov. Brian Kemp, who offered the resources and services of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to Atlantic Circuit District Attorney Tom Durden, tweeting on Tuesday 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
"He's going to be looking at it very strongly and he's going to do what's right," said Trump, who not long ago had criticized Kemp's strategy for reopening businesses shuttered amid the coronavirus before taking it back Tuesday. "But it's a heartbreaking thing. That was very rough."
Regarding the GBI's investigation, Director Vic Reynolds has said that "every stone will be turned over, I promise you."
In the same Fox & Friends interview, host Brian Kilmeade later asked Trump: “Mr. President, in the past, when there’s been a black/white shooting, a lot of time things spiral out of control. What can you do to make sure justice is done and this doesn’t end up in a racial situation?”
Trump responded: “Justice getting done is the thing that solves that problem. And again, it’s in the hands of the governor and I’m sure he’ll do the right thing. It could be something that we didn’t see on tape, if you saw, things went off tape and then back on tape. But it was a troubling, to anybody who watched it, certainly it was a disturbing or troubling video, no question about that. But they have very good law enforcement in the state of Georgia and I’m sure they’re going to come up with exactly what happened. It’s a sad thing. Very sad thing. Hate to see that.”
Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, applauded the arrest of the McMichaels, but said on Twitter “the question that needs to be asked is why it seemingly took months, the release of a video and corresponding public outrage to catalyze action.”
While the arrest of 2 suspects in the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery is a critical step towards justice, the question that needs to be asked is why it seemingly took months, the release of a video and corresponding public outrage to catalyze action. https://t.co/JdM6pcFY8d
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) May 8, 2020
About the Author
Sarah Spencer, a Georgia native and UGA alum, serves as a general assignment and features writer for sports. She previously covered the Hawks from 2019-22.
