William “Roddie” Bryan Jr., the man who filmed Ahmaud Arbery’s February 23 shooting death, attempted to use his vehicle to “confine and detain” Arbery in the minutes leading up to murder, federal authorities alleged in recently-released warrants.
According to CNN, Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Director Vic Reynolds told reporters Friday that if they believed Bryan, 50, was just a witness they wouldn’t have arrested him Thursday. Bryan is facing charges of felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment in connection with Arbery’s shooting death.
Bryan filmed Travis McMichael, 34, and his father, Gregory McMichael, 64, fatally shooting Arbery, 25, on February 23 as he jogged in Brunswick.
Read continuing coverage on the Ahmaud Arbery case
A warrant alleged that Gregory McMichael, who was in a pickup truck bed at the time of the shooting, claimed Bryan tried to help stop Arbery earlier in the day.
The document also stated that Bryan used his vehicle to try to “confine and detain” Arbery between 1 p.m. and 1:20 p.m. on the day in question.
Gregory McMichael reportedly claimed that Arbery resembled a suspect in a series of recent burglaries in the Satilla Shores neighborhood. However, police said the only recent break-in was on January 1, when a 9mm pistol was reportedly stolen from an unlocked truck outside the McMichaels’ home.
GBI took over the case after a 36-second video showing Arbery’s death was shared on social media. Gregory and Travis McMichael’s arrests came two days after the footage went viral.
Officials said they don’t plan on making additional arrests in this case.
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[Featured image: Ahmaud Arbery/Family handout; William Bryan Jr./Glynn County Sheriff’s Office]
