I think it should be required that everyone who comments on this should have to read the statement Greg McMichael gave to the police. Some of the ignorant comments made about this would hopefully subside.
The relevant portion from the police report.....
On Sunday, February 23, 2020 I responded to the intersection of Satilla Drive and Holmes Drive in reference to shots fired. While in route I was advised there were shots fired and a male on the ground “bleeding out”. A short time later I was advised the male on the ground was deceased.
Upon my arrival I observed Officer Minshew (184) setting up a perimeter.
I began speaking with Greg McMichael who was a witness to the incident. McMichael stated there have been several Break-ins in the neighborhood and further the suspect was caught on surveillance video. McMichael stated he was in his front yard and saw the suspect from the break-ins “hauling ass” down Satilla Drive toward Burford Drive. McMichael stated he then ran inside his house and called to Travis (McMichael) and said, “Travis the guy is running down the street lets go”. McMichael stated he went to his bedroom and grabbed his .357 Magnum and Travis grabbed his shotgun because they “didn’t know if the male was armed or not”. McMichael stated, “the other night” they saw the same male and he stuck his hand down his pants which lead them to believe the male was armed.
McMichael stated he and Travis got in the truck and drove down Satilla Drive toward Burford Drive. McMichael stated when they arrived at the intersection of Satilla Drive and Holmes Drive, they saw the unidentified male running down Burford drive. McMichael then stated Travis drive down Burford and attempted to cut off the male. McMichael stated the unidentified male turned around and began running back the direction from which he came and “Roddy” attempted to block him which was unsuccessful. McMichael stated he then jumped into the bed of the truck and he and Travis continued to Holmes in an attempt to intercept him.
McMichael stated they saw the unidentified male and shouted “stop, stop, we want to talk to you”. stated they pulled up beside the male and shouted stop again at which time Travis exited the truck with the shotgun. McMichael stated the unidentified male began to violently attack Travis and the two men then started fighting over the shotgun at which point Travis fired a shot and then a second later there was a second shot. McMichael stated the male fell face down on the pavement with his hand under his body. McMichael stated he rolled the man over to see if the male had a weapon.
I observed blood rolling the unidentified male over. Photographs were taken of hands and were uploaded to Spillman under property number 20-03176.
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“Roddy” is Bryan “Roddy” Williams. I have seen the unredacted police report and that is what they had listed.
How many of you have gone to Google Earth and pulled up the neighborhood and address of the participants?
If you read the police reports carefully, then watch the available videos, then compare what you see for yourself to what Greg McMichael told the police, the statement doesn’t match the videos.
By his own admission, McMichael says he attempted to cut off Arbery, and Arbery turned around and ran the other direction. He says that “Roddy” (that is the guy recording the video 3~4 minutes later) also attempted to cut him off but he, too, was unsuccessful.
If you go to Google Earth and carefully watch the video, you can figure out that they are on a different street going a different direction than what McMichael told the police. According to McMichael’s statement, they Arbery was running back up Burford Dr and they got out at the intersection.
In actuality, Arbery was running on Holmes toward that intersection. And the McMichaels were sitting there waiting on him.
There are some serious discrepancies in McMichaels testimony. He said they were hollering “Step, we want to talk to you.” Unfortunately for McMichaels, he was on the phone with 911 when the shooting occurred. He did not say anything to Arbery about stopping. He yelled “STOP! STOP, DAMNIT!” as Arbery ran right by him.
The police in all likelihood have more video from William’s phone and anything else that might have been said.
you’ve heard the 911 call? How do you know some of it wasn’t muffled and couldn’t be heard correctly? He may very well have leaned out the window telling him to stop and the call didn’t pick it up- or maybe it did pick it up- how do you know it didn’t? I haven’t heard any unedited version of the 911 tape yet? Even if he never said ‘we want to talk to you’ he still hasn’t committed any crimes by yelling to him whatever he yelled to him-
Many times people in or even after stressful situations don’t get details exactly right- in his mind he could have been thinking he said ‘we want to talk to you’ because that is what they got in the truck and and went to do- talk to him- but again- even if he did only yell ‘stop’- it’s not a crime to confront someone and tell them to stop- whether they do or not isn’t the issue- the issue is, did he commit a crime by going out to confront him?
[[By his own admission, McMichael says he attempted to cut off Arbery, and Arbery turned around and ran the other direction.]]
Yeah, so? He wanted to stop the fella to talk to him-
[[He says that “Roddy” (that is the guy recording the video 3~4 minutes later) also attempted to cut him off but he, too, was unsuccessful.]]
Not a crime to cut someone off to talk to them- noone was kidnapped or held against their will at any point during any of this- it isn’t a crime to confront someone-