BRUNSWICK, Ga. – Monday marks six years since Ahmaud Arbery lost his life after being chased and gunned down while jogging in the Satilla Shores neighborhood in Glynn County.
Ahmaud Arbery’s killing and the months that followed changed a coastal Georgia community and drew worldwide attention to issues of race, justice, and law enforcement practices.
The case began when a family member sought media attention, saying the initial accounts did not match what they believed had happened.
Months later, a video of the shooting surfaced after being recorded by a bystander who was one of three men at the scene.
The release of that video sparked protests in the small town and ignited demonstrations around the country and around the world.
Civil rights activists, local residents and strangers traveled to the area to demand answers.
Local law enforcement figures appeared in public with Arbery’s family in some demonstrations as the community pressed for accountability and tried to keep the peace.
The three men who confronted and later chased Arbery were arrested after public outcry and additional scrutiny of surveillance footage and case handling.
When the state trial began, the town watched closely as residents worried about the outcome and the message any verdict would send.
All three men were later convicted in state court of murder.