The mother of Ahmaud Arbery reportedly described President Donald Trump as “very receiving” and “very compassionate” during their White House meeting on Tuesday.
Wanda Cooper-Jones was one of several invited to meet with Trump before he signed an executive order dealing with the issue.
Other attendees included “relatives of Botham Jean, a Texas man shot in his home by a police officer who lived in the same building; Atatiana Jefferson, killed after police were called to her home; and Antwon Rose, a teenager killed by a Pittsburgh police officer,” the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
Arbery was shot and killed by two white men while jogging near Brunswick, Georgia in February.
Though Arbery was not killed by police, the local prosecutor who initially recommended no charges for his alleged killers recused himself from the case.
Relying on the reporting of colleague Paulina Smolinski, CBS News White House journalist Fin Gomez tweeted that Cooper-Jones described her meeting with the president as “very emotional.” (RELATED: ‘It Removes Race From The Equation’: Greg Gutfeld Details ‘Terrible Idea’ To Eliminate The Perception Of Racism In Policing)
“I think the president was very receiving,” she reportedly said. “He’s very compassionate. He did assure each family member that we would and should expect change.”
Ahmaud Arbery’s mom, Wanda Cooper-Jones on her meeting w/ @realDonaldTrump today: POTUS was “very emotional”and “I think the president was very receiving. He’s very compassionate. He did assure each family member that we would and should expect change.” per @@psmolinskiCBS
— Fin Gomez (@finnygo) June 16, 2020
“Many of these families lost their loved ones in deadly interactions with police,” Trump said, according to AJC. “To all of the hurting families, I want you to know that all Americans mourn by your side. Your loved ones will not have died in vain. We are one nation, we grieve together, and we heal together.”
The president’s order calls for a nationwide ban on police using chokeholds and increases funding for specified police training.