Authorities don't expect any more arrests in Ahmaud Arbery's killing
Georgia officials said Friday they do not expect to make more arrests in the investigation of Ahmaud Arbery's February killing. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrested a third person for the murder on Thursday.
William Bryan, 50, the man who recorded the video of Arbery's killing that sparked outrage across the country, was arrested Thursday evening without incident, according to GBI Director Vic Reynolds.
"At this point we feel confident that the individuals who needed to be charged have been charged," Reynolds said at a press conference Friday.
Bryan was charged with felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment. When asked Friday how Bryan could be charged for murder if he did not pull the trigger, Reynolds cited Georgia law which allows someone who committed a felony crime that results in a death to be charged with murder.
"Felony murder is a crime in Georgia where if you are committing a felony crime and that crime ends up in the death of another human being, then that's a felony murder," he said. "We believe the evidence would indicate that his underlying felony helped cause the death of Ahmaud Arbery."
According to Reynolds, the GBI investigation is nearing its conclusion. Once the GBI is finished with their investigation the case will be handed to the Cobb County District Attorney's office under Joyette Holmes. Reynolds said he believes the DA is "as confident as we are that they will be able to prove" Bryan's role in the murder.
The GBI arrested father and son Gregory and Travis McMichael for Arbery's death on May 9. Although the shooting took place in February, no arrests were made in the case until this month, when cellphone footage taken by Bryan showed the McMichaels confront Arbery.
Reynolds would not say Friday whether Bryan knew the McMichaels before the incident, but said he is confident in his involvement, adding that "there are a number of pieces of video" that led them to the arrest.
In an interview with CBS affiliate WJAX, Bryan said he had "nothing to do" with Arbery's death. "I'm trying to get my life back to normal, and it's been smeared for the last week," he said. "I was told I was a witness and I'm not sure what I am, other than receiving a bunch of threats."
On Friday, Reynolds said: "I can tell you if we believed he was a witness we wouldn't have arrested him."
"There's probable cause and we're comfortable with that," he said.
Holmes pledged to find justice in the case. "We know that we have a broken family and a broken community down in Brunswick," she said.