During testimony on Thursday inside a Glynn County courtroom, Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent Richard Dial testified that murder suspects Gregory and Travis McMichael hit 25-year-old Arbery with the side of their truck as Arbery tried to run past them.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, video taken by a third murder suspect, William “Roddie” Bryan, allegedly showed the McMichaels chasing Arbery for several minutes around the Satilla Shores neighborhood in Brunswick, while in their truck, before blocking him and killing him in February.
The suspects allegedly said they were attempting to make a citizen’s arrest after they assumed Arbery was the person responsible for recent break-ins.
Investigators, according to Dial, later found cotton fibers on the rear of Bryan’s vehicle that they “attribute to contact with Mr. Arbery.” They also found palm swipe and dent in the vehicle just below the fibers.
As the McMichaels chased Arbery, Bryan yelled out, “Do you got him?” according to Dial.
Bryan allegedly blocked Arbery him from the back with his truck, while the McMichaels blocked Arbery from the front with their truck.
“[Bryan] made several statements about trying to block him in and using his vehicle to try to stop him,” Dial said.
“His statement was that Mr. Arbery kept jumping out of the way and moving around the bumper and actually running down into the ditch in an attempt to avoid his truck.”
Arbery attempted to leave the Satilla Shores and that’s when the McMichaels struck him with their truck, Dial said, forcing him to stay inside the neighborhood. Minutes later Arbery got into a scuffle with Travis McMichael, who was armed.
Arbery was unarmed.
The fight ended deadly when Travis McMichael allegedly shot Arbery three times, with two of the shots hitting him in the chest and another hitting him in the hand. Afterward, according to what Bryan told police, McMichael called Arbery a “fu***** ni****” as he stood over Arbery’s body in the road.
All three suspects have been charged with first-degree murder. Check back for updates.
Watch the hearing below.
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[Feature Photo: Ahmaud Arbery/Handout; Greg and Travis McMichael/Facebook]
*EDITOR’S NOTE*: The story has been updated to reflect Dial testified that Bryan’s vehicle hit Arbery. A previous report indicated that the McMichael’s truck allegedly hit the victim.
