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JUDY WOODRUFF: A black family in Georgia pressed today for authorities to act after the shooting death of their son. Ahmaud Arbery was killed after two men, white men, chased him. Now video of the incident has emerged. Yamiche Alcindor has our report.
YAMICHE ALCINDOR: A graphic video, a shocking shooting, and many unanswered questions. This cell phone footage is believed to show Ahmaud Arbery jogging in a South Georgia neighborhood before coming upon two men in a truck. The 25-year old tries to get around them. And then:
YAMICHE ALCINDOR: The video, released yesterday, has brought national attention to the incident, which took place back on February 23. Some believe this is yet another example of an unarmed black person shot and killed unfairly. Charges were not initially brought against the two men, Gregory McMichael and his son Travis. But after the video's release, a Georgia prosecutor announced he plans to call a grand jury.
WANDA COOPER, Mother of Ahmaud Arbery: He was a happy-go-lucky person. He loved his family.
YAMICHE ALCINDOR: Wanda Cooper is Arbery's mother. In an interview yesterday, she said the process has taken too long.
WANDA COOPER: A lot of time has passed, and I'm ready to get these people who are responsible, you know, in jail.
YAMICHE ALCINDOR: Gregory McMichael told police he thought Arbery looked like a suspect in a nearby burglary. He said he and his son followed Arbery and told him to stop. Then, McMichael said Arbery "began to violently attack them". McMichael had been an investigator in the district attorney's office and a police officer. And, according to The New York Times, one of the original prosecutors on the case argued there was "insufficient probable cause" to arrest the two men. But he later requested to be removed from the case because his son worked in the prosecutor's office with Gregory McMichael. Today, the local president of the NAACP called for immediate action.
JOHN PERRY, President, Brunswick NAACP: Right now, we're calling for a law system that operates in integrity. And we believe that begins with the dismissal of the police chief that was in charge at the point of this incident.
YAMICHE ALCINDOR: Meanwhile, Georgia courts remain closed until at least June 13 due to the COVID-19 outbreak. An attorney for Arbery's family tells NewsHour the grand jury process would likely begin sometime after courts open back up. For the PBS NewsHour, I'm Yamiche Alcindor.
JUDY WOODRUFF: The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said today that it has now opened its own probe of the shooting.
