Presumed Democratic presidential nominee Joseph R. Biden says the shooting of a young black man in Georgia is emblematic of a “rising pandemic of hate” and demands the nation do more to confront issues of race.
The focus on the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery intensified this week after cell phone footage emerged that appeared to capture when the 25-year-old was shot and killed by two white men while running in Brunswick, George in February.
Speaking during an online “African American roundtable” on Thursday, Mr. Biden said the video of the was like seeing Mr. Arbery “lynched before our very eyes.”
Mr. Biden said the victim’s family deserves “a swift, full and transparent investigation.”
President Trump said he had not seen the video but was getting “a full report” on the killing Thursday night.
“My heart goes out to the parents of the gentleman,” Mr. Trump said. “It’s a very sad thing.”
The shooting of Mr. Arbery has sparked public protests, and demands for justice, as well as a state investigation.
The coronavirus has delayed the grand jury proceedings. No one has been arrested and no charges have been filed.
The two white men involved, Gregory McMichael and his son Travis Michael, told police they suspected Mr. Arbery, who was unarmed, had committed a robbery.
They said they thought he matched the description of someone had been caught on camera during a recent neighborhood break-in.
Mr. Arbery’s mother said her son was out for a daily jog.
Mr. Biden first took sides earlier this week, saying on Twitter that the “video is clear: Ahmaud Arbery was killed in cold blood.”
The graphic and at times shaky cellphone footage, which surfaced came this week, shows a black man running down a street, and a truck parked on the road ahead of him.
The footage shows a man standing near the driver’s side door, and another standing in the bed of the truck.
The runner appears to try to run around the truck before a scuffle breaks out between him and one of the white men and then gunshot sounds can be heard.
Another gun shot is heard before the runner staggers away and falls onto the road.
• This story is based in part on wire reports
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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