(Photo: Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
On the one-year anniversary of Ahmaud Arbery’s murder, mom Wanda Cooper, filed a civil lawsuit against Glynn County law enforcement officials for allegedly covering-up the incident.
Arbery was jogging in a predominantly white Georgia neighborhood a few miles away from his home when Gregory and Travis McMichael chased him in a truck before confronting him with guns. Travis then shot and killed 25-year-old Arbery.
The pair was not arrested until May 7. They were charged with murder and aggravated assault. The arrests came after weeks of public outcry and two days after a 28-second video, filmed by neighbor William Bryan, about the incident was leaked.
Days after the McMichaels’ arrest, Bryan was also arrested and charged with felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment.
All three are named in the lawsuit. Also named in the lawsuit are Police Chief John Powell, Police Officer Robert Rash, John Doe police officials 1-10, Glynn County and District Attorney Jackie Johnson and George Barnhill.
“For nearly three months, Glynn County police officers, the chief of police and two prosecutors conspired to hide the circumstances surrounding Ahmaud’s death and to protect the men who murdered him,” the lawsuit stated.
A Georgia Civil War-era citizen’s arrest law was used as justification for the murder. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced on Feb. 16 that the law would be reformed.
“This one-year anniversary is very bittersweet because what was able to be done in the aftermath was we pushed the envelope on policy that continued to allow these acts of vigilante and racial and extrajudicial violence,” Georgia NAACP President James Woodwall told CNN. “We were able to identify exactly what we wanted.”
People paid tribute to Arbery and made calls to justice on social media today.
“Went running today, and made it home safely. RIP Ahmaud Arbery!! He aint get the chance to do that a year ago!” tweeted one user.
The 2:23 Foundation was created in Arbery’s memory “to combat social injustices so that young black and brown bodies can grow up in a world of equity and equality.” The non-profit is hosting a virtual 2.23 mile run today to commemorate Arbery’s life.
On Instagram, the organization posted, “The time for silence is over. We will be loud. We will be insistent. We will make our demands met as we create a better future for our children.”