Politicians, Activists, and More React to Guilty Verdict for Men Who Murdered Ahmaud Arbery

On Wednesday, all three white men were found guilty in the murder of Ahmaud Arbery.

Travis McMichael (pictured above), Travis’ father Gregory McMichael, and neighbor William Bryan Jr. were all found guilty of murder charges in the 2020 killing of 25-year-old Arbery. Notably, 35-year-old Travis McMichael—who pulled the trigger in the murder—was found guilty of all nine charges against him, including four counts of felony murder.

Arbery, who was Black, was unarmed when he was pursued and killed in the Georgia neighborhood of Satilla Shores last February. All three men, now facing possible life sentences, are also facing federal hate crime charges, as revealed in an indictment made public in April.

Reactions to the jury’s decision were swift on Wednesday, with many commemorating the moment as an example of justice in action. Attorney Ben Crump, who works with the Arbery family, said in a statement that the family “finally has some justice” after nearly two years of suffering.

“Today certainly indicates progress, but we are nowhere close to the finish line,” Crump, who noted this should have been an “opened and closed” case, said. “America, you raised your voices for Ahmaud. Now is not the time to let them quiet. Keep marching. Keep fighting for what is right. And never stop running for Ahmaud.”

See additional reactions to the verdict below, including from Stacey Abrams, Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock, and more.