Ahmaud Arbery never threatened, spoke to or brandished a weapon towards the man who fatally shot him, according to the shooter’s second day of testimony on Thursday.
Travis McMichael, the man who allegedly killed Arbery, testified that he was “under the impression” Arbery was a threat because he ran towards him and attempted to get into a neighbor’s truck, according to the testimony. McMichael allegedly aimed a shotgun at Arbery as the two ran around McMichael’s truck and shot him when the pair collided in front of the vehicle on Feb. 23, 2020 near Brunswick, Georgia.
“All he’s done is run away from you,” prosecutor Linda Dunikoski said. “And you pulled out a shotgun and pointed it at him.” (RELATED: Trial Of Men Accused Of Killing Ahmaud Arbery Nears Verdict)
The state presents this still images of Travis McMichael bloodied after shooting Ahmaud Arbery. pic.twitter.com/Eb6U5y9RnM
— Hayley Mason (@HayleyMasonTV) November 9, 2021
Three men were charged in Arbery’s murder and McMichael testified Wednesday that Arbery attacked him and tried to grab his firearm before the shooting, according to the Associated Press. Dunikoski disputed the claim and said McMichael told police another story during an interview a couple of hours after the incident occurred.
“So you didn’t shoot him because he grabbed the barrel of your shotgun,” Dunikoski said. “You shot him because he came around that corner and you were right there and you just pulled the trigger immediately.”
McMichael claimed he was “struck” before he fired his gun, according to the testimony. He said he initially wanted to ask Arbery about an incident that neighbors reported earlier but he and two other men chased Arbery in vehicles.
Arbery was allegedly running in the neighborhood when the neighbors reported the incident and took off when McMichael said police were en route, the AP reported. Dunikoski said Arbery had no obligation to speak with McMichael and asked why some of the details of his testimony were left out of the police report taken two hours after the shooting.
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